Visiting An Emergency Medical Clinic During A Diabetic Event

If you have diabetes, then you understand the importance of monitoring your blood glucose levels, maintaining your weight, taking all your prescribed medications, following your diabetic diet, and seeing your doctor on a regular basis.

Sometimes, however, despite your best efforts at managing your condition, your blood glucose levels may rise or fall precipitously, causing severe symptoms such as dizziness, an abnormal heartbeat, nausea, vomiting, sweating, and shaking. If you are unable to contact your physician, you'll need to seek treatment at an emergency medical clinic or medical center. Here are some tests and treatments the doctors and nurses at the medical clinic will implement upon your arrival.

Check Vital Signs

When you arrive, the staff at the medical center will check your vital signs to make sure that your cardiovascular and respiratory systems are stable. A doctor or nurse will check your blood pressure, pulse, and respiratory rate, and if no abnormalities are found, they will move on to the next test.

If your blood pressure is too high or too low, or if your heart rate is abnormal, you may need intravenous fluid therapy and cardiac medications. If you are hyperventilating because of your diabetic condition or anxiety, oxygen will be administered via face mask or nasal cannula. 

Blood Glucose Monitoring

After your condition has stabilized, you will get blood drawn. Common blood tests included a complete blood count, or CBC, a blood chemistry profile, which includes blood glucose testing, and arterial blood gases.

Because you would have already told the medical staff that you are a diabetic, they will be interested in your blood glucose levels. Based upon the results of your blood glucose test, you may either get an injection of insulin, an oral anti-glycemic medication, or even a glass of orange juice if you are hypoglycemic.

Once your blood sugar levels have stabilized, your symptoms will resolve and you will feel better. Your condition will be monitored until the staff feels that it is safe to discharge you home. You may be instructed to call someone to pick you up because you may be too weak or shaky to drive yourself home.

If you believe that you are having a diabetic reaction, seek emergency medical attention. The sooner interventions are implemented to stabilize your blood sugar levels and vital signs, the less likely you will be to develop complications such as cardiovascular problems, ketoacidosis, or diabetes-related kidney problems.


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