What is Insulin Shock?

April 24, 2023

A team of scientists at the University of California San Diego School of Medicine recently identified a key player that helps prevent "insulin shock".

About Insulin Shock:

  • What is it? Insulin shock occurs when you have too much insulin in your blood. This can lead to hypoglycemia, also called low blood sugar.
  • If left untreated for too long, it can lead to loss of consciousness and even death.
  • It can occur in people with type 1 or type 2 diabetes if they are using certain medications.
  • Warning Signs: Dizziness, shaking, clamminess, a rapid pulse, and other symptoms.

What is Diabetes?

  • It is a chronic disease that occurs when the pancreas can no longer make insulin or the body cannot make good use of the insulin it produces.
  • What is Insulin? It is a hormone that regulates blood glucose.
  • Not being able to produce or use insulin effectively leads to raised glucose levelsin the blood, known as hyperglycaemia.

Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes:

  • Type 1 diabetes:
    • It is a condition in which your immune system destroys insulin-making cells in your pancreas.These are called beta cells.
    • When you have type 1 diabetes, your body produces very little or no insulin.
    • It requires daily administration of insulinto maintain blood glucose levels under control.
    • It is usually diagnosed in children and young people, so it used to be called juvenile diabetes.
    • Symptoms: Excessive excretion of urine(polyuria), thirst (polydipsia), constant hunger, weight loss, vision changes, and fatigue.
  • Type 2 diabetes:
    • It results from the body’s ineffective use of insulin that it produces.
    • More than 95% of people with diabetes have type 2 diabetes.
    • This type of diabetes is largely theresult of excess body weight and physical inactivity.
    • Symptoms may be similar to those of type 1 diabetesbut are often less marked. As a result, the disease may be diagnosed several years after onset.