EAT on time when expecting more demanding activities during the day, and take medicine, especially if you are diabetic, to prevent hypoglycemia, a doctor has advised.
On Tuesday, Dec. 19, 2023, a sport utility vehicle driven by a 73-year-old man on F.F. Zuellig Ave. corner A. Soriano Ave., Barangay Centro, Mandaue City, struck other vehicles until it stopped when it hit a roadblock.
Lieutenant Colonel Franco Rudolf Oriol, deputy director for administration and spokesperson of the Mandaue City Police Office, said based on their investigation, the motorist suffered from hypoglycemia or low blood sugar level and he lost consciousness.
Hypoglycemia is the condition when there is not enough glucose or sugar in your blood.
“This is important because glucose is the body’s main source of energy. So in other words, when you are in the state of hypoglycemia, your body is running out of battery,” said Sandley Sabang Jr., a staff physician at Ebeye Hospital, RMI.
Sabang added that the brain is the most delicate organ in our body and that the sudden depletion of glucose will cause the body to shut down in a matter of minutes.
“This shutdown would just look like the affected person is going to sleep, the difference being the victim would be difficult to awaken,” said Sabang.
Hypoglycemia can be caused by any event that can deplete the sugar in the blood such as prolonged fasting, vigorous activities, and for diabetic patients when they overdose on anti-diabetic medicine.
The common symptoms of a hypoglycemic attack are having cold sweats, irritability or confusion, dizziness, uncontrollable shaking of the hands, and palpitations. These symptoms may vary and a person may present with all of them or just one depending also on the severity of the hypoglycemia.
To avoid or prevent hypoglycemia, Sabang recommends eating on time or when expecting more demanding activities during the day, eating more carbohydrate-rich foods prior to the activity or preparing snacks in between.
“For diabetic patients, it is important to take your medicine at proper dosages and at the right time, as well as having regular check-ups with your doctor in case dosages need to be adjusted,”
said Sabang.