Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsDiabetic KetoacidosisDiabetic ComaHeart Disease and StrokeKidney FailureWhen to See a Healthcare ProviderFrequently Asked Questions
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Diabetic Ketoacidosis
Diabetic Coma
Heart Disease and Stroke
Kidney Failure
When to See a Healthcare Provider
Frequently Asked Questions
Shortness of breath doesn’t top the list of the most common symptoms you may experience withdiabetes. However, it’s important to know that the two are connected.
Shortness of breath (and related dizziness) can occur when blood sugar is dangerously high or low, and it can also indicate a serious complication of diabetes called diabetic ketoacidosis.
New or worsening shortness of breath can also be a sign of another health issue that diabetes has put you at greater risk for, such as kidney failure or heart attack.
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Diabetes is a condition in which the body makes too little insulin or resistsinsulin. This is the hormone, produced in thepancreas, that’s needed to break down carbohydrates from food and convert it into energy in the form of glucose.
Since the entire body requires energy, diabetes can affect every part of it.
Initial treatment to reverse this condition is to give fluid through a vein and provide insulin either as an injection under the skin or into a vein. Sometimes people are admitted to the hospital for close monitoring and continued treatment until ketone levels decline and insulin levels are stabilized.
Close follow-up with your personal diabetes care provider is needed to ensure insulin balance is maintained to prevent DKA.
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People who have diabetes may feel short of breath because of high blood glucose, which is calledhyperglycemia, or too little glucose, which is calledhypoglycemia. Similar to ketoacidosis, too much or too little glucose can affect lung function and breathing. Other symptoms may include:
An extremely high or low blood sugar level can lead to a life-threatening emergency called adiabetic coma, where a person becomes unconscious and unresponsive to their environment.
For hypoglycemia, the initial treatment is fluids through a vein and giving glucose through a vein. For hyperglycemia, the initial treatment is administration of fluid through a vein and to administer insulin.
In both hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia, patients are closely monitored for a period of time and possibly admitted to the hospital for closer observation and prevention of a repeat episode.
After initial treatment is completed, patients need to follow up with their diabetic care provider to come up with strategies for preventing hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia. Among the ways to achieve this are:
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For people with diabetes, shortness of breath can be an indication ofheart disease. Cardiovascular disease is the top cause of death for people living with diabetes, who are twice as likely to have a heart attack orstrokethan those who don’t have the condition.
People living with diabetes, even with careful monitoring, can have times when their blood glucose levels are elevated. Over time, these elevated levels of blood glucose can cause damage to the network of blood vessels and nerves throughout the body, especially the delicate blood vessels and nerves around theheart. This can lead to complications such as stroke,heart failure, andheart attack.
Shortness of breath may be one of the first signs of aheart attack. Other symptoms people may experience include:
Signs of a stroke may include the sudden onset of:
Any of these symptoms should be evaluated immediately.
Seeing a healthcare provider regularly is important, even if you don’t have symptoms, because of the higher risk of heart attacks and strokes for people living with diabetes.
People living with diabetes are at a higher risk of a condition known asnephropathy, also known as kidney disease.Over time, diabetes can damage the ability of the kidneys to filter waste properly and cause significant damage to the kidneys.
As the kidneys lose their ability to function properly, fluid builds up in the body and can back up into the heart and lungs, which may lead to shortness of breath. Other possible symptoms include:
It is important to bring any of these symptoms to your healthcare provider’s attention as soon as possible. They will likely order lab tests and even have you see anephrologist, a kidney specialist, to determine the extent of any kidney damage.
Key Nutrients in Managing Diabetes-Related Kidney Disease
If you have diabetes and experience shortness of breath, it’s important to see a healthcare professional immediately for evaluation and treatment.
In general, you should expect to have them perform a thorough physical exam and obtain a medical history. Often, lab tests are done to assess blood glucose levels, the presence and severity of ketoacidosis, and kidney function.
Depending on other medical conditions you have or could have, your healthcare provider may also order anelectrocardiogram(ECG) to assess for any heart damage orcomputed tomography(CT) scans to assess for any signs of stroke.
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Frequently Asked QuestionsOver time, the lungs of people with type 1 diabetes may develop a reduced ability to transfer oxygen to red blood cells, which transport it in the body. This may be due to vascular changes in the lung. People with diabetes may have chronically lower oxygen levels as a result.Learn MoreUnderstanding Oxygen SaturationWith diabetes, shortness of breath after eating may be due to a high blood sugar level and low insulin level. It also may be related to thetypesof food you eat.Learn MoreWhy Do I Experience Shortness of Breath After Eating?Studies suggest a common link between obstructive sleep apnea and type 2 diabetes,which may affect the breathing rate when sleeping. Sleep apnea also is believed to change insulin resistance in the body.Learn MoreThe Health Effects of Sleep Apnea
Over time, the lungs of people with type 1 diabetes may develop a reduced ability to transfer oxygen to red blood cells, which transport it in the body. This may be due to vascular changes in the lung. People with diabetes may have chronically lower oxygen levels as a result.Learn MoreUnderstanding Oxygen Saturation
Over time, the lungs of people with type 1 diabetes may develop a reduced ability to transfer oxygen to red blood cells, which transport it in the body. This may be due to vascular changes in the lung. People with diabetes may have chronically lower oxygen levels as a result.
Learn MoreUnderstanding Oxygen Saturation
With diabetes, shortness of breath after eating may be due to a high blood sugar level and low insulin level. It also may be related to thetypesof food you eat.Learn MoreWhy Do I Experience Shortness of Breath After Eating?
With diabetes, shortness of breath after eating may be due to a high blood sugar level and low insulin level. It also may be related to thetypesof food you eat.
Learn MoreWhy Do I Experience Shortness of Breath After Eating?
Studies suggest a common link between obstructive sleep apnea and type 2 diabetes,which may affect the breathing rate when sleeping. Sleep apnea also is believed to change insulin resistance in the body.Learn MoreThe Health Effects of Sleep Apnea
Studies suggest a common link between obstructive sleep apnea and type 2 diabetes,which may affect the breathing rate when sleeping. Sleep apnea also is believed to change insulin resistance in the body.
Learn MoreThe Health Effects of Sleep Apnea
10 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Diabetes Association.Diabetes & DKA (ketoacidosis).Canadian Diabetes Association Clinical Practice Guidelines Expert Committee, Howlett JG, MacFadyen JC.Treatment of diabetes in people with heart failure.Can J Diabetes. 2013;37 Suppl 1:S126-8. doi:10.1016/j.jcjd.2013.01.036Centers for Disease Control.Your Heart and Diabetes.American Diabetes Association Professional Practice Committee.10. Cardiovascular disease and risk management:Standards of Care in Diabetes-2024.Diabetes Care. 2024;47(Suppl 1):S179-S218. doi:10.2337/dc24-S010American Diabetes Association.Cardiovascular Disease.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Stroke signs and symptoms.American Diabetes Association.Chronic Kidney Disease (Nephropathy).Laursen JC, Clemmensen KKB, Hansen CS, Diaz LJ, Bordino M, Groop PH,et al.Persons with type 1 diabetes have low blood oxygen levels in the supine and standing body positions.BMJ Open Diabetes Res Care. 2021 May;9(1):e001944. doi: 10.1136/bmjdrc-2020-001944.Ahola AJ, Harjutsalo V, Thomas MC, Forsblom C, Groop PH.Dietary intake and hospitalisation due to diabetic ketoacidosis and hypoglycaemia in individuals with type 1 diabetes.Sci Rep. 2021 Jan 15;11(1):1638. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-81180-0Muraki I, Wada H, Tanigawa T.Sleep apnea and type 2 diabetes.J Diabetes Investig. 2018 Sep;9(5):991-997. doi:10.1111/jdi.12823.
10 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Diabetes Association.Diabetes & DKA (ketoacidosis).Canadian Diabetes Association Clinical Practice Guidelines Expert Committee, Howlett JG, MacFadyen JC.Treatment of diabetes in people with heart failure.Can J Diabetes. 2013;37 Suppl 1:S126-8. doi:10.1016/j.jcjd.2013.01.036Centers for Disease Control.Your Heart and Diabetes.American Diabetes Association Professional Practice Committee.10. Cardiovascular disease and risk management:Standards of Care in Diabetes-2024.Diabetes Care. 2024;47(Suppl 1):S179-S218. doi:10.2337/dc24-S010American Diabetes Association.Cardiovascular Disease.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Stroke signs and symptoms.American Diabetes Association.Chronic Kidney Disease (Nephropathy).Laursen JC, Clemmensen KKB, Hansen CS, Diaz LJ, Bordino M, Groop PH,et al.Persons with type 1 diabetes have low blood oxygen levels in the supine and standing body positions.BMJ Open Diabetes Res Care. 2021 May;9(1):e001944. doi: 10.1136/bmjdrc-2020-001944.Ahola AJ, Harjutsalo V, Thomas MC, Forsblom C, Groop PH.Dietary intake and hospitalisation due to diabetic ketoacidosis and hypoglycaemia in individuals with type 1 diabetes.Sci Rep. 2021 Jan 15;11(1):1638. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-81180-0Muraki I, Wada H, Tanigawa T.Sleep apnea and type 2 diabetes.J Diabetes Investig. 2018 Sep;9(5):991-997. doi:10.1111/jdi.12823.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
American Diabetes Association.Diabetes & DKA (ketoacidosis).Canadian Diabetes Association Clinical Practice Guidelines Expert Committee, Howlett JG, MacFadyen JC.Treatment of diabetes in people with heart failure.Can J Diabetes. 2013;37 Suppl 1:S126-8. doi:10.1016/j.jcjd.2013.01.036Centers for Disease Control.Your Heart and Diabetes.American Diabetes Association Professional Practice Committee.10. Cardiovascular disease and risk management:Standards of Care in Diabetes-2024.Diabetes Care. 2024;47(Suppl 1):S179-S218. doi:10.2337/dc24-S010American Diabetes Association.Cardiovascular Disease.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Stroke signs and symptoms.American Diabetes Association.Chronic Kidney Disease (Nephropathy).Laursen JC, Clemmensen KKB, Hansen CS, Diaz LJ, Bordino M, Groop PH,et al.Persons with type 1 diabetes have low blood oxygen levels in the supine and standing body positions.BMJ Open Diabetes Res Care. 2021 May;9(1):e001944. doi: 10.1136/bmjdrc-2020-001944.Ahola AJ, Harjutsalo V, Thomas MC, Forsblom C, Groop PH.Dietary intake and hospitalisation due to diabetic ketoacidosis and hypoglycaemia in individuals with type 1 diabetes.Sci Rep. 2021 Jan 15;11(1):1638. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-81180-0Muraki I, Wada H, Tanigawa T.Sleep apnea and type 2 diabetes.J Diabetes Investig. 2018 Sep;9(5):991-997. doi:10.1111/jdi.12823.
American Diabetes Association.Diabetes & DKA (ketoacidosis).
Canadian Diabetes Association Clinical Practice Guidelines Expert Committee, Howlett JG, MacFadyen JC.Treatment of diabetes in people with heart failure.Can J Diabetes. 2013;37 Suppl 1:S126-8. doi:10.1016/j.jcjd.2013.01.036
Centers for Disease Control.Your Heart and Diabetes.
American Diabetes Association Professional Practice Committee.10. Cardiovascular disease and risk management:Standards of Care in Diabetes-2024.Diabetes Care. 2024;47(Suppl 1):S179-S218. doi:10.2337/dc24-S010
American Diabetes Association.Cardiovascular Disease.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Stroke signs and symptoms.
American Diabetes Association.Chronic Kidney Disease (Nephropathy).
Laursen JC, Clemmensen KKB, Hansen CS, Diaz LJ, Bordino M, Groop PH,et al.Persons with type 1 diabetes have low blood oxygen levels in the supine and standing body positions.BMJ Open Diabetes Res Care. 2021 May;9(1):e001944. doi: 10.1136/bmjdrc-2020-001944.
Ahola AJ, Harjutsalo V, Thomas MC, Forsblom C, Groop PH.Dietary intake and hospitalisation due to diabetic ketoacidosis and hypoglycaemia in individuals with type 1 diabetes.Sci Rep. 2021 Jan 15;11(1):1638. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-81180-0
Muraki I, Wada H, Tanigawa T.Sleep apnea and type 2 diabetes.J Diabetes Investig. 2018 Sep;9(5):991-997. doi:10.1111/jdi.12823.
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