SUGAR COME, SUGAR GO!
She was wheeled into the emergency room by her anxious daughter and son in law. She was clearly unconscious and had been so for some time. Questioning of her anxious relatives showed she was supposedly on her way to the bathroom and was found on the floor unconscious.
Mama is a known hypertensive and diabetic. She had previously complained of hunger and had episodes of shaking before the event.
A simple test of mama’s blood sugar on presentation showed it was quite low which could have accounted for her falling ino coma. A diagnosis of hypoglycaemic coma was thus made.
WHAT IT IS
Hypoglycaemic coma occurs when someones blood sugar falls to dangerously low proportions. It is a medical emergency with a frightening outcome and very simple solution.
PEOPLE AT RISK
Though it could occur in people with low blood sugars as in periods of starvation, it usually occurs in diabetics when the dosage of their drugs is not properly regulated thus reducing their blood sugar to dangerously low proportions. Ironically both low and high blood sugar levels are not desirable.
RECOGNIZING THE SYMPTOMS
In a diabetic this could include sweating, hunger and tremors.
SO WHAT BECAME OF MAMA?
A simple glucose infusion was given and in a few minutes, mama opened her eyes, began chatting and smiling and eventually got up and started walking.
(Dr Erhumu works in the emergency section of one of Nigeria’s busiest hospitals)
