Diabetic

Emergency
What is a diabetic emergency?

● Mainly, a diabetic emergency is a long term disorder where the body

does not produce enough insulin
○ A diabetic emergency mainly consists of where
the blood sugar gets to be too low or too high

● A diabetic ketoacidosis is caused by the body not producing enough insulin

○ When this happens your liver works overtime and has to break down
fat ketones for energy- it is too fast for the body to handle
○ A build-up of ketone can poison your blood and kill you
Signs and Symptoms- How do you know it is a
Diabetic Emergency

Signs and symptoms may vary from person to person but some include:

● Hunger
● Clammy Skin
● Profuse Sweating
● Drowsiness or confusion
● Weakness or feeling faint
● Sudden loss of responsiveness
How long could it last?

A diabetic emergency can range from minutes to hours to days depending on the severity

● A diabetic coma can occur which is unconsciousness due to high or low blood sugar
● If a diabetic coma is left untreated it could be fatal and lead to death
Should you call 911

Depending on the severity of the Diabetic Emergency

● Call 911 if you are unable to give the person sugar, the person is not fully awake, the
person has a seizure or the person’s condition does not improve within 10 minutes of
having sugar.
Response to a Diabetic Emergency

● You should first try giving them some type of sugary drink to see if that helps at all
● You should then reassure them and try to calm them down
● Most people will improve after this but if they do not then call 911
Sources

https://www.redcross.org.uk/first-aid/learn-first-aid/diabetic-emergency

https://www.alertfirstaid.com/blog/first-aid-diabetic-emergency/