At what point is blood sugar dangerously high

Blood glucose that gets too high or too low can be dangerous. To stay safe and healthy, check your blood glucose regularly and watch for certain symptoms, like being very hungry, tired or sleepy. If your blood glucose is outside the normal range, take the steps described below to start feeling better.

High Blood Glucose: Hyperglycemia

Hyperglycemia means that you have too much blood glucose. It happens when your blood glucose level is around 200 mg/dL or higher. Hyperglycemia can happen if you miss taking your diabetes medications, eat too much or do not get enough exercise. Sometimes, the medications you take for other problems cause high blood glucose.

Symptoms of hyperglycemia include:

  • Being very thirsty
  • Being very tired
  • Having blurry vision
  • Having to urinate often

If you have these symptoms, check your blood glucose right away. If it’s too high, follow these steps:

  • Check your blood glucose every four hours. If your level does not go down after two checks or your symptoms get worse, call a member of your diabetes team.
  • Drink water or other sugar-free liquids, such as diet soda or Crystal Light.
  • You may need to take an extra dose of insulin. Your diabetes educator talks with you more about this.

High Blood Glucose: Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA)

If your insulin level is too low, your blood glucose could become so high that it is unsafe. You might develop a serious problem called diabetic ketoacidosis (or DKA). This usually happens in people with Type 1 diabetes and those with glucose levels over 500.

If you have DKA, chemicals called ketones start to make a lot of acid in your body. The acid and high blood glucose can make you very sick. You might also become dehydrated (lose body fluid). You can prevent DKA by carefully giving yourself the correct insulin dose every day.

If you have any of the following symptoms of DKA, get to your local emergency department right away. You need to be treated with insulin and fluids that are given to you through an IV (a thin tube placed in your arm):

  • Blurry vision
  • Decreased appetite
  • Dry mouth, eyes or skin
  • Fast breathing
  • Feeling confused or irritable
  • Feeling very weak or tired
  • Fruity-smelling breath
  • Stomach pain, nausea or vomiting

Low Blood Glucose: Hypoglycemia

Hypoglycemia can occur when blood glucose drops below normal levels or drops too quickly. Your blood glucose level is too low if it is under 70 mg/dL.

Hypoglycemia can be caused by:

  • A combination of these factors
  • Being more active than usual
  • Drinking alcohol
  • Eating at the wrong time for the medications you take
  • Skipping or not finishing meals or snacks
  • Taking too much diabetes medication

You can have hypoglycemia without any symptoms. That makes it important to check your blood glucose levels regularly. When hypoglycemia does cause symptoms, they can include:

  • Being sweaty
  • Fast heartbeat
  • Feeling irritable
  • Feeling shaky
  • Feeling tired
  • Headache
  • Hunger

If you have these symptoms, check your blood glucose right away. If it is too low (under 70 mg/dL), take something with sugar right away. This quickly raises your blood glucose level. Some good options include:

  • Five to six hard candies
  • One-half cup (4 oz) of fruit juice or regular soda
  • Three glucose tablets

You should also check your blood glucose again after 15 minutes. If it’s still low, again take something with sugar. Check your blood glucose level again after another 15 minutes. If it is still low, call a member of your diabetes team. If your next meal is more than an hour away, eat a small snack.


*The content on this website is for informational purposes only and is not medical advice. Please consult a physician regarding your specific medical condition, diagnosis and/or treatment.

Dangers of Uncontrolled Blood Sugar

If your blood sugar is too high for too long, it can cause serious health problems. It’s something to be careful of whether you have diabetes or not.

How high is too high? Your doctor will tell you what your target range should be and what to do if your levels aren’t in that range. If you have diabetes, you'll need to check your blood sugar, also called glucose, to know if it’s too high, too low, or meets your goal.

The problems that high blood sugar can cause happen over time. The sooner you get your levels back in line, the better.

What High Blood Sugar Feels Like

The symptoms can include:

  • Feeling thirstier than usual
  • Blurred vision
  • Having to pee more often
  • Feeling hungrier than normal
  • Numb or tingling feet

You might also feel more tired than usual, get infections on your skin, or notice that cuts and sores take a long time to heal.

Tell your doctor if you have any of these symptoms.

Complications

High glucose levels can affect you from head to toe. If they're out of control for a long time, you could have some or all of the following:

  • Heart disease or heart attack
  • Stroke
  • Kidney damage
  • Nerve damage
  • Eye damage
  • Skin problems

When to Call Your Doctor

Pick up the phone if your blood sugar is high and you have any of these symptoms:

  • Trouble breathing
  • Vomiting
  • High levels of ketones in your urine
  • Extreme thirst or a very dry mouth
  • Having to pee too often
  • Dry or flushed skin
  • Breath that smells like fruit
  • Confusion

These are symptoms of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA). Your body burns glucose for energy. When your cells don’t get enough of it, they burn fat. That produces chemicals called ketones. When these build up, your blood becomes more acid-like. This can be life-threatening if it’s not treated.

Hyperosmolar Hyperglycemic Nonketotic Syndrome (HHNS)

This mostly affects elderly people. As glucose builds up in your blood, your body tries to get rid of it through your urine.

At first, you pee a lot. Over time, you pee less, but when you do, it’s very dark. This condition can lead to dehydration, coma, and death.

Get medical help right away if you have any of these warning signs:

  • Blood sugar level over 600 mg/dL
  • Extreme thirst that may later go away
  • Warm, dry skin that doesn’t sweat
  • Fever over 101 F
  • Sleepiness or confusion
  • Weakness on one side of your body
  • Vision loss
  • Hallucinations

You can avoid many of these problems by keeping your blood sugar under control. Follow your doctor’s advice about diet and exercise, take your medicine, keep up with your doctor visits, and check your levels often.

When should I go to the ER for high blood sugar?

For adults, if you start to feel drowsy or disoriented or if your blood sugar continues to rise, for example, above 20.0 mmol/L, call 911 or other emergency services immediately. It's best to have someone with you if your blood sugar is this elevated so that the person can call for you.

What is the danger level for high blood sugar?

According to the University of Michigan, a reading of more than 300 mg/dL in a sequence can be harmful. If you have two or more readings over 300 mg/dL in a run, call your doctor right once. Extremely high blood sugar levels (far above 300 mg/dL) can lead to coma in severe circumstances.

At what sugar level is diabetic coma?

A diabetic coma could happen when your blood sugar gets too high -- 600 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) or more -- causing you to become very dehydrated. It usually affects people with type 2 diabetes that isn't well-controlled.