The amount of blood sugar may be high or low.which is more dangerous?
Saturday, June 28th, 2008Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) is more immediately dangerous. Deterioration can be very rapid, leading to a life-death situation in minutes.
I guess, as this question was asked in the diabetes section, that you’re talking of someone that’s diabetic. There are treatments available for someone that is severely hypoglycemic but these are generally only available on prescription.
High blood sugar (hyperglycemia), although dangerous, sometimes fatally, is generally a slower process. All the time blood sugar levels remain high, damage is being done to internal organs.
Treatments for someone that is severely hyperglycemic includes being admitted to hospital, where they will be connected to a pump delivering a ’sliding scale’ of insulin, with frequent checks made on the blood sugar level.
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My doctor and I actually had this conversation many years ago when I was first diagnosed. She said although high blood sugar can damage some of your bodies organs, and make you feel bad, low blood sugar is much worse because it can kill you quickly. High blood sugar takes years to possibly kill you, but low blood sugar, just one time if it is bad enough can put you in a coma and lead to death very soon afterwards if you don’t do something about it.