How serious is a diabetic coma? Very serious. A diabetic coma is a serious complication that can happen to a person that has type 2 diabetes who is ill or stressed. It most often occurs when a diabetic’s blood sugar becomes too high and the body becomes dehydrated. The Center for Disease Control reports that a diabetic coma occurs most often among those who are older than 60. It is possible that the reason for this is that older people have an altered sense of being thirsty and therefore more likely to become dehydrated. In most cases there is a history of diabetes, but there are some where the condition has gone undiagnosed and untreated. In many of these cases there has been a history of excess thirst and urination for weeks. These symptoms coupled with high blood sugar levels cause the body to become dehydrated, including the cells. Can you die from a diabetic coma? Yes, the severe loss of body water can lead to shock, coma and death and death rates can be as high as 50%. Interestingly enough, the highest risk category of people are either chronically ill or disabled.
Here are some of the causes of a diabetic coma: infection, heart attack, kidney failure, bleeding ulcer, blood clot, illness, medicines and uncontrolled blood sugar. The symptoms of a diabetic coma are many and include increased thirst, increased urination, altered mental state, inability to speak, drowsiness, weakness, headache, restlessness and paralysis. In the event that you experience any of these symptoms, test your blood sugar immediately. If you blood sugar is high call your doctor. If your blood sugar reaches 600, this is the real danger area for a diabetic coma. How serious is a diabetic coma? Don’t wait for this to happen to you to find out.
Because of the seriousness of the answer to the question how serious is a diabetic coma, the best thing to know is the steps toward prevention. The best preventions against a diabetic coma are to keep a regular check on your blood sugar and log the results. If you are sick, make sure to check your blood sugar every four hours. If you become sick, take “special” care of yourself as this is when you are very susceptible.
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