Which results in more hospitalisations: severe hypos or severe hypers (DKA)?

[donnellysdogs]

From the ambulances that have been called to me in 30 years I have been hospitalised twice because of hypo but only 1 was needing hospital treatment by the time I got there and have never been in dka at home or needing hospitalisation.

So my vote would be hypo needing more!!


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[pumppimp]

Hello everyone, (nice to be back)
Pre-pump I essentially lived in hospital due to DKA infact I've had it more times than I can count. At the same time I was also having extremley bad hypos, these were only really bad when I was asleep (hence the danger) everytime a paramedic was called they stayed with me until I was more with it etc. I've never had to be admitted due to a hypo, but have had a few ambulances. In regards deaths I would have guessed there would be more from hypos or more risk of death from a hypo as these tend to happen (really bad ones) when you're asleep, if you are awake the majority of people would get some sort of symptoms whereas if you're asleep most people would loose these symptoms. I would guess also that people who especially live on their own would be found too late so wouldn't need to be admitted to hospital. Whereas someone with DKA takes at least a few hours for it to build up to a place where you need to be admitted to hospital and it's the type of thing you can't really sleep through unless you've left it too late and you're unconsious. So I would say hypos would cause more deaths or have a higher risk of death, but DKA more hospital admissions. So personnally I would be more scared of hypos, especially living by myself, than I would of DKA, as with DKA there are treatable symptoms then if that doesn't work time to go to hospital, so I wouldn't be scared of dying from it.

 

[jackedison]

Hi everyone!

I've been pondering which is the more dangerous condition, severe hypo or severe hyper (DKA) and I can't seem to find any evidence to suggest one or the other.

We all know that high BG causes serious complications over a period of years but those of us on insulin tend to be more scared of the immediate danger of hypos. And yet, I think I've read at least as many reports of insulin-dependents being hospitalised through very high BG and a lack of insulin causing DKA as being hospitalised through serious hypos.

So what is the truth? Which of the two conditions results in more hospitalisations each year and which causes the most deaths? Does anyone have any statistics on this? What are your thoughts? Which condition worries you the most?

Smidge

I don't have the statistical data, but what have heard so far is that it is easier to get the high sugar levels down rather then increase them quickly, so hypos could be more risky then the hyper form gylcemia.

 

[donnellysdogs]

Disagree.. A lot easier to get low levels up than high levels down.. You can come round from a hypo before an smbulance arrives... Ska so many people are hospitalised at least overnight..


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[Spiker]

DD is right. Getting high DKA levels down is very hard, particularly once someone is at the stage of considering hospitalisation. You have ketones to contend with, and often infection, very high transient insulin resistance, dehydration, severe electrolyte imbalance, compromised immune system. A person with DKA is in a very bad way and treatment has to be pretty intensive.

In contrast a severe hypo patient just needs a glucose drip and blood glucose monitoring for a few hours. One of the main reasons for hospital observation is the risk that some other injury occurred during the hypo, and maybe the risk of rebound hypos.