Dr Okezie Emenike, a medical practitioner with a private hospital in Abuja, on Thursday said that low blood sugar in a patient could lead to death.
Emenike told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja that low blood sugar causes a patient to go into coma.
He described low blood sugar as a disease that affects mostly diabetic patients due to lack of sugar in the body to use as fuel.
According to him, low blood sugar could be as a result of excessive consumption of alcohol without eating as well as becoming more physically active than usual.
He said that skipping meals and some form of medication such as insulin treatment could also cause low blood sugar in patients.
“If you are diabetic and you feel dizziness, headaches, pale skin, weakness and feeling shaky could be an indication of low blood sugar in the body.
“Poor vision, co-ordination or concentration, numbness in the mouth and tongue and feeling faint could be a risk factor associated with low blood sugar,’’ he said.
Emenike added that preventing low blood sugar was important to both diabetic patients and patients suffering from other related aliment.
“Don’t skip meals if you have diabetes, particularly if you are taking diabetes medications, to avoid low blood sugar.
“If you take too much insulin, it is necessary to increase the amount of carbohydrate you eat and drink to avert low blood sugar.
“ Test your blood sugar as often as directed by a doctor and know when your medicine is at its peak level to avoid low blood sugar.
“Exercise 30 minute to one hour after meals, checking the blood level before and after exercise help in lowering the risk of low blood sugar,’’ Emenike said.
He stated that eating at least three evenly spaced meals each day with between-meals snacks, as prescribed by a doctor, was important in preventing low blood sugar.
The physician added that following a meal plan and eating meals not more than four to five hours separate could help in the reduction of developing low blood sugar.
He advised patients with the ailment to always double -check the insulin and dose of diabetes medicine before taking it to avoid developing low blood sugar.
He mentioned that treatment for low blood sugar could be achieved by a doctor evaluating the medicines taken if it was caused by too much of insulin that peaks in the evening-to-morning hours.
He said that a change of diet when the blood sugar level drops after eating meals containing lots of sugar helps in treating low blood sugar.
“Avoid consumption of sugary foods; eating frequent small meals during the day could help treat low blood sugar.
“Eat or drink 15 grams of fast-acting carbohydrates, such as glucose gel, skim milk and soft drink with sugar help treat patients with blood sugar.
“If the blood sugar gets low before meal was taken, have a snack rich in protein or take food with more complex carbohydrate before bed time to treat low blood sugar,’’ the physician said.
Emenike urged patients with the disease to always check their blood sugar level after consuming meals enriched with sugar before eating another sugary food if it was still low.
He advised patients to avoid driving if they suspect low sugar level due to the risk associated with it, stressing that it could make the patient to pass out or go into coma.
The medic, who suggested that foods, fluids and insulin should not be given to an unconscious person susceptible with the disease, added that it could choke the patient, which could lead to death.
