Diabetic coma and insulin shock are two complications that result from diabetes, a long-lasting disease that occurs either when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin or when the body cannot effectively use the insulin produced by the body. These complications arise from glucose imbalances. They have distinct characteristics and consequences. Moreover, they also require quick diagnosis and specific treatment.
The key difference between diabetic coma and insulin shock is their cause. Diabetic coma can occur due to high blood sugar levels or low blood sugar levels, while insulin shock happens only due to low blood sugar levels.
CONTENTS
1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Diabetic Coma
3. What is Insulin Shock
4. Similarities – Diabetic Coma and Insulin Shock
5. Diabetic Coma vs Insulin Shock in Tabular Form
6. Summary – Diabetic Coma vs Insulin Shock
7. FAQ – Diabetic Coma and Insulin Shock
What is Diabetic Coma?
Diabetic coma is a life-threatening complication arising from diabetes. It is normally a result of high blood sugar levels and severe dehydration. Diabetic coma can also occur due to low blood sugar. The causes of diabetic coma are missed insulin doses, infections, illness, and excessive carbohydrate intake. Moreover, the symptoms of diabetic coma include the gradual onset of elevated blood sugar levels over days or weeks, shallow breathing, persistent vomiting, extreme tiredness, fruity breath odor, frequent urination, and vomiting. Life-threatening complexities that stem from diabetic coma include unconsciousness for several days, permanent brain damage, and death.
Diabetic coma can be diagnosed through medical history, physical examination, and blood tests. Furthermore, treatment options for diabetic coma are the administration of intravenous fluid and restoring blood sugar with intravenous insulin therapy.
What is Insulin Shock?
Insulin shock, hypoglycemic shock, or diabetic shock occurs when a person’s blood sugar drops extremely low. It can happen from taking too much insulin, ignoring mild hypoglycemia, excessive, unusual activity or exercise without necessary changes to carbohydrate intake, missed meals, using too many diabetes medications, illness, and alcohol consumption. Moreover, the symptoms of insulin shock are blurry or double vision, seizures, convulsions, drowsiness, loss of consciousness, slurred speech, trouble speaking, confusion, jerky movements, clumsiness, nightmares, and excessive sweating during sleep. The life-threatening complexities that stem from insulin shock are loss of consciousness, seizures, and death.
Insulin shock can be diagnosed through physical examinations and blood tests. Furthermore, doctors may prescribe a hormone called glucagon (glucagon shot) to treat people with insulin shock.
Similarities Between Diabetic Coma and Insulin Shock
- Diabetic coma and insulin shock are two complications stemming from diabetes.
- Both are life threatening.
- Both can be diagnosed through physical examinations and blood tests.
- They can be treated through specific therapies.
Difference Between Diabetic Coma and Insulin Shock
Definition
- Diabetic coma is a complication resulting from high blood sugar levels, severe dehydration, or severe low blood sugar levels.
- Insulin shock is a complication resulting from extremely low blood sugar levels.
Causes
- Diabetic coma is caused by excessive doses of insulin or other anti-diabetic medications, missed insulin doses, and severe dehydration.
- Insulin shock is caused by ignoring mild hypoglycemia, taking too much insulin by mistake, and missing a meal completely.
Symptoms
- Symptoms of diabetic coma include shallow breathing, persistent vomiting, extreme tiredness, and fruity breath odour.
- Symptoms of insulin shock include confusion, rapid heartbeat, sweating, trembling, hunger, and dizziness.
Life Threatening Complexities
- Life threatening complexities of diabetic coma include unconsciousness, permanent brain damage, and death.
- Life threatening complexities of insulin shock include unconsciousness, seizures, and death.
Diagnosis
- Diabetic coma can be diagnosed by medical history, physical examination, and blood test.
- Insulin shock can be diagnosed by physical examination and blood test.
Treatment
- Diabetic coma can be treated by giving intravenous fluid and intravenous insulin therapy.
- Insulin shock can be treated by administering a glucagon shot.
The following table summarizes the difference between diabetic coma and insulin shock.
Summary – Diabetic Coma vs Insulin Shock
Diabetic coma and insulin shock are two complications resulting from diabetes. Diabetic coma is triggered by higher or rising blood glucose levels and low blood sugar levels while insulin shock is triggered only by decrease in blood sugar levels. This is the key difference between diabetic coma and insulin shock.
FAQ: Diabetic Coma and Insulin Shock
1. What happens if a person goes into a diabetic coma?
- In a diabetic coma, people are alive, but they can’t wake up or respond purposefully to sights, sounds, or other types of stimulation. If not treated, it leads to permanent brain damage and eventually death.
2. What are the warning signs and symptoms of a diabetic coma?
- The signs and symptoms one experiences before a diabetic coma include shakiness, dizziness, confusion, rapid heartbeat, trembling, and hunger.
3. Is insulin shock a seizure?
- Insulin shock is a seizure. It is also known as a diabetic seizure. It is caused by severe hypoglycemia, which is triggered by ignoring mild hypoglycemia, taking too much insulin by mistake, and missing a meal completely.
4. What are the three signs and symptoms of insulin shock?
- The symptoms of insulin shock may vary from one person to another, but most common symptoms are excessive hunger, feeling shaky, sweating, raising heartbeat, confusion and loss of consciousness.
5. What is insulin therapy used for?
- Insulin therapy is a very important strategy of diabetes treatment. It helps keep blood sugar levels under control and prevents diabetes complications such as insulin shock. It works very similar to the hormone insulin that the body normally produces.
Reference:
1. “Diabetes-Related Coma.” Cleveland Clinic.
2.“Insulin Shock: Causes, Warning Signs, Treatment & Prevention.” Health Central.
Image Courtesy:
1. “Diabetic ketoacidosis concept map” By Mahatef – Zoom out – Pharmacotherapy Website (CC BY 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia