Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhat Is a Diabetic Coma?Causes of Diabetic ComaSigns of a Diabetic ComaRisk Factors for a Diabetic ComaBlood Sugar Levels During a Diabetic ComaWhen to Call a Healthcare ProviderTreating a Diabetic ComaPreventing a Diabetic ComaPrognosis
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
What Is a Diabetic Coma?
Causes of Diabetic Coma
Signs of a Diabetic Coma
Risk Factors for a Diabetic Coma
Blood Sugar Levels During a Diabetic Coma
When to Call a Healthcare Provider
Treating a Diabetic Coma
Preventing a Diabetic Coma
Prognosis
This article will discuss the causes and signs of a diabetic coma, its diagnosis and treatment, and preventing a diabetic coma.
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A diabetic coma is a medical emergency that can happen with either hyperglycemia or hypoglycemia. It can develop over days or even weeks if the abnormal blood sugar level is not detected.
A person in a diabetic coma is unconscious and can neither move nor respond to their environment. A coma can lead to long-term physical and psychological problems.
High Blood Sugar
High blood sugar (hyperglycemia) occurs when the body doesn’t have enough insulin and there is too much sugar in the blood.
Different types of hyperglycemia include:
Importance of Checking Your Blood SugarAs a person with diabetes, it is always important to check your blood sugar. If you have any questions or concerns, contact your healthcare professional. They can help you understand and manage your numbers and condition.
Importance of Checking Your Blood Sugar
As a person with diabetes, it is always important to check your blood sugar. If you have any questions or concerns, contact your healthcare professional. They can help you understand and manage your numbers and condition.
Guidelines for Blood Glucose Monitoring
Low Blood Sugar
Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) happens when the body doesn’t have enough glucose.
If a person has diabetes, hypoglycemia can, at times, be a side effect of diabetes medication.
Glucose is an important factor for the body. The liver releases glucose, as needed, when the blood sugar levels start to fall. It is always important to check with your healthcare provider to find out the cause of your low blood sugar.
It is helpful to know the signs and symptoms of both a hyperglycemic coma and a hypoglycemic coma, as they differ.
Hyperglycemic Coma
Before a hyperglycemic coma, you may experience the following symptoms of hyperglycemia:
When a hyperglycemic coma occurs, it is known to have a slow onset with drowsiness that deepens over time. Other symptoms include:
When a hyperglycemic coma occurs, a person will typically receive treatment including insulin; supplements of electrolytes such as phosphate, sodium, and potassium; and intravenous fluids.
Hypoglycemic Coma
If a person is lapsing into a hypoglycemic coma, it feels similar to fainting, including:
These symptoms occur before consciousness is lost. If not treated quickly, brain damage is possible.
When a patient experiences a diabetic coma due to hypoglycemia, they will typically be administered glucagon.
When to Seek Medical CareIf a person is showing any symptoms of a diabetic coma, it is important to call 911 immediately so they can get the proper care that is needed as soon as possible.
When to Seek Medical Care
If a person is showing any symptoms of a diabetic coma, it is important to call 911 immediately so they can get the proper care that is needed as soon as possible.
If an individual has diabetes, they are at risk for a diabetic coma. The type of diabetes is an indicator of the type of coma they are more likely to experience.
Other risk factors include:
Depending on the cause of your diabetic coma, your labwork will look different.
Diabetic Ketoacidosis
A diabetic coma can develop due to severediabetic ketoacidosis. In addition to high blood sugar, people with diabetic ketoacidosis have high levels of ketones (chemicals produced when your liver breaks down fats) and a high level of acid in their blood. You may see the following labwork results in severe diabetic ketoacidosis cases:
You may also see the following results for measures of acid in the blood in severe diabetic ketoacidosis cases:
Diabetic Hyperglycemic Hyperosmolar Syndrome (HHS)
Hypoglycemia
Low blood sugar is defined as blood glucose less than 70 mg/dL. Moderate hypoglycemia occurs when the blood glucose level falls below 54 mg/dL.
If the hypoglycemia isn’t treated for a long time, it can become severe. At that point, severe mental and physical symptoms will prevent normal functioning.
If you or someone you are with has blood sugar levels that are too high or too low and feels as if they are going faint or are extremely dizzy, it is best to call 911 and go to the hospital.
In some instances, a patient can call their healthcare provider, who can tell them the proper steps needed to help them. This is a good topic for discussion during a well visit.
Treatments for people with diabetes who have high blood sugar include:
If there is any type of infection or other underlying cause, treatment will be conducted for that as well.
If an individual experiences hypoglycemia, treatments include:
If you are with a person who is going into a diabetic coma, call 911, make sure they are in a comfortable position, and check their blood sugar.
If you have diabetes, preventative measures can be taken to reduce the risk of diabetic coma, including:
Early detection of a rise or fall in blood sugar can prevent it from escalating to a diabetic coma.
A diabetic coma is a medical emergency that requires immediate treatment, but the recovery process can be slow. That said, people who’ve experienced a diabetic coma typically recover fully.
In the cases of diabetic coma from low blood sugar, full recovery is possible if the brain receives sugar within about an hour.
It’s unlikely for a coma to last more than four weeks. Once the person comes out of a coma, they may be confused—and it will take time for them to become fully conscious and more aware.
In general, a coma does carry the risk of long-term unresponsiveness, and not everyone recovers from it. If not treated, a diabetic coma may also lead to permanent brain damage or death.Prompt treatment is essential.
Summary
17 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.Cleveland Clinic.Diabetic coma.Better Health Channel.Diabetic coma.MedlinePlus.Coma.MedlinePlus.Hyperglycemia.MedlinePlus.Diabetic ketoacidosis.MedlinePlus.Diabetic hyperglycemic hyperosmolar syndrome.MedlinePlus.Hypoglycemia.Hillson R.Dizziness in diabetes.Practical Diabetes. 2018;35(2):41-42. doi:10.1002/pdi.2158Fayfman M, Pasquel FJ, Umpierrez GE.Management of hyperglycemic crises: diabetic ketoacidosis and hyperglycemic hyperosmolar state.Med Clin North Am. 2017;101(3):587-606. doi:10.1016/j.mcna.2016.12.011American Diabetes Association.Hypoglycemia (low blood glucose).American Diabetes Association Professional Practice Committee;6. Glycemic Targets: Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes—2022.Diabetes Care1 January 2022; 45 (Supplement_1): S83–S96. doi:10.2337/dc22-S006University of Rochester Medical Center.Bicarbonate.StatPearls.Serum osmolarity.Endocrine Society.Severe hypoglycemia.Hurtubise M, Stirling J, Greene J, et al.Dextrose 50% versus dextrose 10% or dextrose titration for the treatment of out-of-hospital hypoglycemia: A systematic review.Prehosp Disaster Med. 2021;36(6):730-738. doi:10.1017/S1049023X21001047HealthDirect.Coma.Merck Manual.Stupor and coma.
17 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.Cleveland Clinic.Diabetic coma.Better Health Channel.Diabetic coma.MedlinePlus.Coma.MedlinePlus.Hyperglycemia.MedlinePlus.Diabetic ketoacidosis.MedlinePlus.Diabetic hyperglycemic hyperosmolar syndrome.MedlinePlus.Hypoglycemia.Hillson R.Dizziness in diabetes.Practical Diabetes. 2018;35(2):41-42. doi:10.1002/pdi.2158Fayfman M, Pasquel FJ, Umpierrez GE.Management of hyperglycemic crises: diabetic ketoacidosis and hyperglycemic hyperosmolar state.Med Clin North Am. 2017;101(3):587-606. doi:10.1016/j.mcna.2016.12.011American Diabetes Association.Hypoglycemia (low blood glucose).American Diabetes Association Professional Practice Committee;6. Glycemic Targets: Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes—2022.Diabetes Care1 January 2022; 45 (Supplement_1): S83–S96. doi:10.2337/dc22-S006University of Rochester Medical Center.Bicarbonate.StatPearls.Serum osmolarity.Endocrine Society.Severe hypoglycemia.Hurtubise M, Stirling J, Greene J, et al.Dextrose 50% versus dextrose 10% or dextrose titration for the treatment of out-of-hospital hypoglycemia: A systematic review.Prehosp Disaster Med. 2021;36(6):730-738. doi:10.1017/S1049023X21001047HealthDirect.Coma.Merck Manual.Stupor and coma.
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.
Cleveland Clinic.Diabetic coma.Better Health Channel.Diabetic coma.MedlinePlus.Coma.MedlinePlus.Hyperglycemia.MedlinePlus.Diabetic ketoacidosis.MedlinePlus.Diabetic hyperglycemic hyperosmolar syndrome.MedlinePlus.Hypoglycemia.Hillson R.Dizziness in diabetes.Practical Diabetes. 2018;35(2):41-42. doi:10.1002/pdi.2158Fayfman M, Pasquel FJ, Umpierrez GE.Management of hyperglycemic crises: diabetic ketoacidosis and hyperglycemic hyperosmolar state.Med Clin North Am. 2017;101(3):587-606. doi:10.1016/j.mcna.2016.12.011American Diabetes Association.Hypoglycemia (low blood glucose).American Diabetes Association Professional Practice Committee;6. Glycemic Targets: Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes—2022.Diabetes Care1 January 2022; 45 (Supplement_1): S83–S96. doi:10.2337/dc22-S006University of Rochester Medical Center.Bicarbonate.StatPearls.Serum osmolarity.Endocrine Society.Severe hypoglycemia.Hurtubise M, Stirling J, Greene J, et al.Dextrose 50% versus dextrose 10% or dextrose titration for the treatment of out-of-hospital hypoglycemia: A systematic review.Prehosp Disaster Med. 2021;36(6):730-738. doi:10.1017/S1049023X21001047HealthDirect.Coma.Merck Manual.Stupor and coma.
Cleveland Clinic.Diabetic coma.
Better Health Channel.Diabetic coma.
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MedlinePlus.Hyperglycemia.
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MedlinePlus.Diabetic hyperglycemic hyperosmolar syndrome.
MedlinePlus.Hypoglycemia.
Hillson R.Dizziness in diabetes.Practical Diabetes. 2018;35(2):41-42. doi:10.1002/pdi.2158
Fayfman M, Pasquel FJ, Umpierrez GE.Management of hyperglycemic crises: diabetic ketoacidosis and hyperglycemic hyperosmolar state.Med Clin North Am. 2017;101(3):587-606. doi:10.1016/j.mcna.2016.12.011
American Diabetes Association.Hypoglycemia (low blood glucose).
American Diabetes Association Professional Practice Committee;6. Glycemic Targets: Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes—2022.Diabetes Care1 January 2022; 45 (Supplement_1): S83–S96. doi:10.2337/dc22-S006
University of Rochester Medical Center.Bicarbonate.
StatPearls.Serum osmolarity.
Endocrine Society.Severe hypoglycemia.
Hurtubise M, Stirling J, Greene J, et al.Dextrose 50% versus dextrose 10% or dextrose titration for the treatment of out-of-hospital hypoglycemia: A systematic review.Prehosp Disaster Med. 2021;36(6):730-738. doi:10.1017/S1049023X21001047
HealthDirect.Coma.
Merck Manual.Stupor and coma.
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