How Infection Causes Diabetes [a1e12e]

2025-09-13

Understanding Diabetic Coma: What Blood Sugar Levels Can Lead to Life-Threatening Consequences

A diabetic coma is a life-threatening condition that can occur when blood sugar levels become severely elevated or plummet. To understand the risk of diabetic coma, it's essential to know what blood sugar levels are considered critical.

Normal Blood Sugar Range

The American Diabetes Association recommends the following normal blood sugar ranges: 80-130 mg/dL (milligrams per deciliter) before meals and less than 180 mg/dL after meals. However, these numbers can vary depending on individual factors such as age, weight, and activity level.

Critical Blood Sugar Levels

While diabetic coma is a rare occurrence, blood sugar levels above or below the normal range can still have serious consequences. If left can low blood sugar affect blood pressure untreated, severely high blood sugar (hyperglycemia) or low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) can lead to diabetic ketoacidosis, coma, and even death.

Hyperglycemic Emergencies

Blood glucose levels of 300 mg/dL or higher are considered hyperglycemic emergencies. At this level, the body produces high amounts of ketones, which can cause seizures, confusion, and eventually a coma.

Causes of Hyperglycemia

Several factors can contribute to hyperglycemia in people with diabetes. These include:

  • Insulin deficiency 65 fasting blood sugar or resistance
  • Inadequate food intake
  • Increased stress levels
  • Certain medications

Hypoglycemic Emergencies

Conversely, low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) is a condition that can occur when the body produces too much insulin. Blood glucose levels below 50 mg/dL are considered hypoglycemic emergencies.

Causes of Hypoglycemia

Hypoglycemia in people with does zinc lower blood sugar diabetes can be caused by:

  • Inadequate food intake
  • Excessive exercise or physical activity
  • Certain medications, such as sulfonylureas and meglitinides

Managing Blood Sugar Levels to Prevent Diabetic Coma

Preventing diabetic coma requires careful blood sugar management. This involves monitoring blood glucose levels regularly, adjusting medication regimens accordingly, and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

Healthy Lifestyle Choices

In addition to medication adjustment, adopting a healthy diet and regular exercise routine can help regulate blood sugar levels.

By understanding what critical blood sugar levels are and taking proactive steps to manage them, individuals with diabetes can minimize the risk of diabetic coma.

Marko Šestan and colleagues show that the hormone insulin can boost the antiviral immune system. Upon viral infection, the immune system therefore induces insulin resistance in order to increase insulin production by the pancreas, which stimulates the antiviral immune response. In lean people this is not a problem, because the pancreas easily compensates for temporary insulin resistance. But in obese people, who usually already have insulin resistance, infection may overload the ability of the pancreas to compensate, resulting in diabetes mellitus type 2.
How Infection Causes Diabetes