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In order to help a diabetic, it is important to know if it is an episode of excess blood sugar (hyperglycemia), or lack of blood sugar (hypoglycemia), as both situations can happen.
Hyperglycemia is more common in diabetics who do not have the proper treatment or do not follow a balanced diet, whereas hypoglycemia is more common in people who are taking insulin treatment or who have spent a long time without eating, for example.
If possible, the first thing to do is to check the person's blood glucose, with a suitable device to measure the amount of sugar in the blood. Generally, values below 70 mg / dL indicate hypoglycemia and values well above 180 mg / dL can indicate hyperglycemia, especially if the person has not finished eating.
1. Hyperglycemia - high sugar
When blood sugar is high, also called hyperglycemia, the value of the device will show values above 180 mg / dL, on an empty stomach, or above 250 mg / dL, at any time of the day.
In addition, the person may experience confusion, excessive thirst, dry mouth, tiredness, headache and altered breath. In these cases, you must:
- Look for an SOS insulin syringe, which the person may have for emergency situations;
- Inject the syringe in the region around the navel or in the upper arm, making a fold with your fingers, keeping it until the end of the injection, as shown in the image;
- If, after 15 minutes, the value of the sugar remains the same, you should call for medical help, calling immediately the number 192 or taking the person to the hospital;
- If the victim is unconscious but breathing, he should be placed in the lateral safety position, pending the arrival of medical assistance. Learn how to correctly do the lateral safety position.
In the event that an emergency insulin syringe does not exist, it is recommended to immediately call for medical help or take the person to the hospital so that the appropriate dose of insulin is administered.
In addition, if insulin is administered, it is important to keep an eye on the blood sugar value for the next hour, as there is a risk that the value will drop too much if the insulin dose has been higher than necessary. If the value is below 70 mg / dL it is important to put sugar directly inside the cheeks and under the tongue, so that the value increases and stabilizes.
2. Hypoglycemia - low sugar
When blood sugar levels are low, called hypoglycemia, the device shows blood glucose below 70 mg / dL and it is common for the person to show signs such as tremors, cold skin, sweating, pallor or fainting. In these cases, it is important to:
- Place 1 tablespoon of sugar or 2 packets of sugar inside the cheeks and under the tongue;
- If the blood sugar does not increase or the symptoms do not improve in 10 minutes, the person should be given sugar again;
- If the sugar level or symptoms remain the same for another 10 minutes, medical assistance should be called by calling 192 immediately or taking the person to the hospital;
- If the person is unconscious but breathing, he / she should be placed in the lateral safety position while waiting for medical help. See how to do the lateral safety position.
When the blood sugar is low for a long time, it is possible for the person to go into cardiac arrest. Therefore, if it is observed that the person is not breathing, call for medical help and quickly start cardiac massage. Here's how to do cardiac massage:
Other important first aid for diabetics
In addition to the most serious situations, such as hyperglycemia or hypoglycemia, there are also other first aid measures that are important in everyday situations, which may represent a greater risk of complications for the diabetic, such as having a skin wound or twisting the foot , for example.
1. Skin wounds
When the diabetic gets hurt, it is important to take good care of the wound, because even if it is small and superficial, the diabetic's wound is more likely to present complications such as ulcers or infections, especially when it happens in more humid or stuffy places like the feet, skin folds or groin, for example.
During treatment, it is important to take care to avoid infections, and should:
- Use clean towels to dry the affected skin area;
- Avoid contact with domestic animals;
- Avoid locations with sand or earth;
- Avoid tight clothing or shoes on the wound.
Thus, the ideal is to keep the wound clean, dry and away from situations that may worsen the wound, especially until healing is complete.
In addition to taking care of the wound, it is also essential to be aware of some signs that indicate the development of complications, such as the appearance of redness, swelling, severe pain or pus in the area. In these cases, it is recommended to go to the general practitioner.
When the wound is very small, but it takes more than 1 month to heal, it is advisable to go to a nursing consultation to assess the need for more specialized treatment, with dressings that favor healing.
2. Twist the foot
If the diabetic sprains his foot or other joint, he must stop the practice of physical activity and avoid forcing the affected area, in addition to avoid walking for a long time and climbing stairs, for example.
In addition, you should keep your foot elevated to promote circulation and place ice in the affected area for 20 minutes, twice a day, remembering to wrap the ice in a damp cloth to avoid burning your skin.
The torsion usually causes swelling and pain, and can make the area warmer and with purple spots. In the most severe cases, in which there is severe pain and swelling that does not improve, a doctor should be consulted to assess the severity of the injury and check for a fracture.
Warning signs to go to the doctor
The doctor should be contacted in the following situations:
- High sugar, with a capillary glycemia greater than 180 mg / dL for more than 1 hour, on an empty stomach, or greater than 250 mg / dL for more than 1 hour, after eating, or when the patient is unconscious.
- Low sugar, with capillary glycemia below 70 mg / dL for more than 30 minutes, or when the patient is unconscious;
- Complicated wounds on the skin, with fever above 38ºC; presence of pus in the wound; increased redness, swelling and pain at the site; worsening of the wound healing process, loss of sensation around the wound or tingling, or presence of sweat and chills in the body. These signs indicate that the wound site may be infected, with a greater risk of worsening the wound and complications, such as ulcers.
In the most severe cases, when these signs are ignored and the proper treatment is not done, the affected tissue may suffer necrosis, which happens when the region does not receive enough oxygen and the tissues die, and it may be necessary to amputate the affected limb.
In these cases, medical help should be called quickly by calling 192.