This weekend, my family and i went ou to celebrate my younger sons 22nd birthday at a hibachi/sushi restaurant 😋. 20 minutes after being seated,, we notice a commotion at the next table and see a family surrounding a lady with her head slumped over,, clearly not feeling well or having some sort of emergency. I get up and go to assist, letting them know that I'm a nurse. After asking for a cold wet towel and placing an ice cold glass next to the lady's neck, i begin to ask questions. "How are you feeling? Describe the feeling. Are you diabetic and when was the last time you ate or checked your blood sugar?" After getting the answers i needed,, I suggested the lady was suffering from hypoglycemia or low blood sugar. I encouraged her to take sips of sprite and place a small amount of sugar from a packet under her tongue. Within 5 minutes , she was able to hold her head up and speak to me clearly. She was doing much better and refused EMS treatment. I give her and her family tips on dealing with diabetes,, they thank me profusely and I return to my table. Disaster averted.
This may sound a bit dramatic but so is a severe episode of hypoglycemia or low blood sugar. These episodes can lead to death if not treated quickly and correctly. The CDC reports that as of 2020:
34.2 million Americans—just over 1 in 10—have diabetes.
88 million American adults—approximately 1 in 3—have prediabetes.
New diabetes cases were higher among non-Hispanic blacks and people of Hispanic origin than non-Hispanic Asians and non-Hispanic white
All of these situations can lead to potentially deadly hypoglycemic episodes. How can you recognize and treat hypoglycemia?
Please click on through link from The American Diabetes Association on recognizing and treating hypoglycemic episodes.
Sources: https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/library/features/diabetes-stat-report.html#:~:text=New%20in%202020%2C%20the%20report,1%20in%203%E2%80%94have%20prediabetes.
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