High blood sugar (Hyperglycemia): Symptoms and problems

High blood sugar, also known as hyperglycemia, occurs when there is too much sugar in the blood. This condition is commonly associated with diabetes and can have serious health implications if not managed properly. What are the symptoms of high blood sugar? 

Common symptoms include increased thirst, frequent urination, fatigue, and blurred vision. Other less common symptoms are headaches, trouble concentrating, and unexplained weight loss. These symptoms develop gradually, hence regular monitoring is essential for early detection and management. 

Untreated and uncontrolled high blood sugar can be very risky. Do you know 1 in every 3 people are pre-diabetics? Pre-diabetics are individuals with unaware high blood sugar and are not actively managing the problem. This increases the risk of becoming diabetic and are at risk of the potential health implications arising from diabetes.

Problems of hyperglycemia

High blood sugar level can cause blood vessels hardening and narrowing, increasing the risk of heart disease and stroke. People with diabetes are twice as likely to have heart diseases. High sugar may damage blood vessels in retina, resulting in blindness if not treated. Nerve pain and loss of sensation is also common in this group of individuals and may results in diabetic foot. Kidneys may also fail to work as high blood sugar can damage the kidney’s filtering ability.

In severe cases, patients with diabetes may have a complication called diabetic ketoacidosis, where the body starts breaking down fats too quickly and build up ketones in blood, which can be a life-threatening complication and requires immediate medical attention. 

Are you one of the many prediabetics?

Diabetes is better to prevent than to treat as you would not want to bear the chance of developing into a more complicated issue. Checking your blood sugar regularly can act as a preventive measure, and allows you to act immediately if required.