Insulin Shock

Insulin Shock
What is insulin
Insulin shock occurs whenshock?
you have too
much insulin in your blood. This can lead to
hypoglycemia, also called low blood sugar.
Insulin shock may occur if someone:
ignores mild hypoglycemia

takes too much insulin by mistake
misses a meal completely
does excessive unusual exercise without
changing their carbohydrate intake
Insulin shock is a diabetic emergency. If left
untreated, it can lead to diabetic coma, brain
damage, and even death.
What causes insulin
shock?
Having too much insulin in your blood can lead to having too little glucose. If
your blood sugar falls too low, your body no longer has enough fuel to
carry out its regular functions. In insulin shock, your body becomes
so starved for fuel that it begins to shut down.
If you have diabetes and use insulin to help

control your blood
sugar, you can end up with excess amounts in
your blood if you
inject too much insulin or miss a meal after
injecting insulin.
Other possible causes include:

 not eating enough
How does insulin shock affect
the abody?
If your blood sugar drops bit below normal, you may experience mild to moderate
symptoms, including:
• dizziness
• shaking
• sweating/clamminess
• hunger
• nervousness or anxiety
• irritability
• rapid pulse
At this stage, you can usually take immediate steps to recover. Eating 15 grams of
quick-acting carbohydrates — such as glucose tablets or high-sugar options like fruit
juice, raisins, honey, or candy — can help stabilize your blood sugar and reduce
symptoms.
After 15 minutes, test your blood sugar. If your blood sugar has improved, you’ll want
How does insulin shock affect
the
If your blood sugar body?
isn’t increasing, try eating another 15 grams of carbohydrates,
followed by a meal. If you blood sugar is not increasing after repeating this step again,
contact your doctor or visit the emergency room.
Plummeting blood sugar can also cause:
 headaches
 confusion
 fainting
 poor coordination, tripping, and falling
 muscle tremors
 seizures
 coma
Insulin shock can also happen in the middle of the night. In that case, the
symptoms may include:
 nightmares
 crying out in your sleep
 waking up confused or very irritable
How insulin
works
When we consume food or beverages that contain carbohydrates, your body converts
them into glucose. Glucose is a type of sugar that fuels the body, giving it the energy it
needs to perform everyday functions. Insulin is a hormone that works like a key. It
opens the door in the body’s cells so they can absorb glucose and use it as fuel.
People with diabetes may lack

enough insulin or
have cells that aren’t able to use insulin
as they should. If
the cells of the body aren’t able to
absorb the glucose
properly, it causes excess glucose in blood.
This is called high
blood glucose, which is linked with a
number of health issues.
High blood glucose can cause eye and
Treating insulin
shock
Mild to moderate hypoglycemia can normally
be treated as described above. If you start
experiencing the symptoms of severe
hypoglycemia, however, it’s time for more
aggressive treatments. If you or someone near
you begins to experience insulin shock, take
these steps:
• Call 112, particularly if the person is

unconscious.
• Treat as outlined above unless the person is
unconscious. Don’t give an unconscious
person something to swallow as they may
choke on it.
How to prevent
Insulin shock is not a pleasant experience. But there are things you can do to prevent it
from happening.
insulin shock?
Follow these tips to reduce your risk of experiencing severe hypoglycemia and related
problems:
 Keep glucose tablets or hard candy for times when your blood sugar dips too low.
 Eat after taking your insulin shot.
 Always ask your doctor how to use a new medication.
 Eat a snack if your blood sugar is under 100 milligrams per deciliter before exercise or if
you’re planning on doing more exercise than normal. Keep a carbohydrate snack with
you when exercising. Talk to your dietitian about the best things to eat before exercise.
 Be cautious when drinking alcohol. Talk to your doctor about safe levels of
consumption.
 Be cautious after vigorous exercise, as it can lower blood sugar for hours after the
workout.
 Test your blood sugar often.
Thank you for attention!
Be happy and healthy!

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Insulin Shock

Insulin shock may occur if someone:

ignores mild hypoglycemia

If you have diabetes and use insulin to help

Other possible causes include:

People with diabetes may lack

• Call 112, particularly if the person is

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