Diabetes is a disease that can affect a person in different ways, causing very different emergency situations. This is due to either too much insulin in the body or too much sugar in the blood. Knowing the cause of a person's sudden illness will let you know go about treating him. Finding out if the person is wearing any diabetic identification will identify if he is hypoglycemic (low blood sugar) or hyperglycemic (high blood sugar). During a diabetic emergency, knowing all the actions to take can save a life.
Instructions
1. Check to see if the person is breathing if he appears to be unconscious; that's an extreme case. Call 911 immediately. If you find that the person is hypoglycemic, he will need an injection of glucagon right away if he remains unconscious. This is an injection for diabetics, and should be carried with them at all times. All family members and friends should be taught give this to the diabetic patient before an emergency occurs. If you are not trained to give this shot, wait for help to arrive. Do not leave the person unattended.
2. Act quickly to verify that the person is diabetic and the type of diabetes he has. This could be found on the person as a bracelet, necklace or possibly a health card in his wallet. Read the information on the identifying item. It should have his name, address, emergency contact numbers, and specific diabetic type. Give all this information to the paramedics when they arrive.
3. Talk to the person calmly and patiently. Find out if the sufferer is hypoglycemic and is just feeling a bit ill. If he is conscious, it can be easily treated. If he has eaten, ask him what he ate. Check his blood sugar level. If it is below 70 mg/dl, it is too low. Give the person hard candy, orange juice or anything with sugar if he is having an insulin reaction. By giving the person sugar, it quickly will raise the sugar level in the blood. It will instantly help him to feel better. Once he feels better, advise him to eat.
4. Eating foods containing too can cause a diabetic person to go into a diabetic coma in very serious cases. This is another emergency situation diabetics can experience. Ask the person if he had anything to eat and if he took any diabetic medication. If the person has eaten and not taken his medication, he could pass out or experience other symptoms such as thirst, fast breathing, dehydration, confusion, and drowsiness. Have the person to check his blood sugar. If it is above 240 mg/dl, call the doctor immediately. This is a very serious situation that can not be treated without the help of a doctor. If the doctor isn't available, call 911. Alternately, get him to the emergency room as soon as possible.
5. Encourage the person to schedule an appointment with her doctor. She can discuss what she experienced, and she can figure out prevent it from happening again.
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