If you’re diabetic, you probably already know what hyperglycemia is. In short, it’s high blood sugar (or glucose). It can cause a wide variety of symptoms that we’ll get into later. Luckily, there are some ways to deal with it, including eating the right foods to level your blood sugar out.
However, this article isn’t just for those with diabetes. There is a non-diabetic version of hyperglycemia that has also been shown in people experiencing stress from a serious illness. This condition can be serious which is why understanding it is important. Let’s take a closer look at the signs and what you can do about hyperglycemia.
What Is Hyperglycemia?
We know that it means your blood sugar is too high, often as a result of diabetes, but how high? According to Cleveland Clinic, it refers to a fasting (not eating for at least 8-hours and ideally 12-hours) blood glucose that is higher than 125 mg/dL (milligrams per deciliter). This indicates the body doesn’t have enough of the hormone that regulates blood sugar or isn’t using it properly.
Hyperglycemia can also happen to a person with pre-diabetes. If you have a fasting blood glucose of 100 to 125-mg/dL, you have impaired glucose tolerance (also known as pre-diabetes). Additionally, if your blood glucose is higher than 180-mg/dL an hour or two after consuming a meal, this also would indicate hyperglycemia.