How to Treat Hyperglycemia

Hyperglycemia is the presence of excess glucose in the blood plasma with two major types being recognized. Fasting hyperglycemia is defined as a blood glucose level greater than 130 mg/dL after an 8-hour fast. Postprandial (after-meal) hyperglycemia occurs when this level is consistently greater than 180 mg/dL after a meal. Hyperglycemia is usually caused by diabetes mellitus and can become life-threatening if left untreated.

Instructions

Difficulty: Challenging

1. Test your blood glucose level frequently if you are diabetic. Your health care provider will need several readings to recommend changes in your treatment. Intravenous insulin is the usual treatment and may need to be administered in a hospital setting for severe cases.
2. Drink more water to remove excess glucose through urine. This also will help prevent the dehydration that is always a risk of hypoglycemia. Intravenous fluids and salts are sometimes needed to restore the electrolyte balance.
3. Consult with a dietitian if needed about changes in your eating habits. Diabetics frequently need to eat a greater number of smaller meals throughout the day to prevent large rises in their blood sugar level.
4. Exercise to lower your blood sugar level as long as you do not have ketones in your urine. You should not exercise at all if you have type 2 diabetes and a blood glucose level above 300 mg/dL.
5. Change medications as recommended by your health care provider. Many classes of medication carry a risk for hyperglycemia.