Hyperglycaemia (high blood sugar)

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What is hyperglycaemia?

Hyperglycaemia is having too much glucose (sugar) in your blood. A blood glucose level above 15mmol/L is considered hyperglycaemia.

What causes hyperglycaemia?

If you have diabetes, this can happen for many reasons, such as:

not taking enough insulin or diabetes tablets
being less active than usual
eating too much carbohydrate food
- potatoes, bread, pasta, sugary foods and drinks all contain carbohydrates
being sick or in pain
some medicines, such as steroids
being stressed, emotional or excited
having an infection (such as thrush, cystitis or a wound infection)
drinking too much alcohol

What symptoms are related to hyperglycaemia?

If you have hyperglycaemia, you might:

feel very thirsty
feel tired or lethargic
need to pass urine (wee) frequently
have blurred vision
find it hard to concentrate
feel irritable

If your hyperglycaemia gets worse, you might have diabetic ketoacidosis.

Watch out for:

fruity smelling breath
nausea and vomiting
abdominal pain
shortness of breath
dry mouth
weakness or confusion

When should I see my doctor?

If you have type 1 diabetes, it’s important that you act on hyperglycaemia. If not treated, a high blood sugar level can lead to a serious condition called diabetic ketoacidosis.

Call 000 or go to the hospital emergency department if:

you cannot keep any food or fluids down
your blood glucose level stays above 15mmol/L and you have ketones
your symptoms are getting worse and you are unable to manage your condition yourself

Make an appointment to see your doctor if:

you have diarrhoea or vomiting but are able to eat and drink something
you have a fever for more than 24 hours
your blood glucose is above 15mmol/L even after taking your diabetes medicines
you are finding it difficult to keep your blood glucose levels in the target range

If your high blood sugar doesn’t go down, or you can’t keep fluids down, see your doctor immediately, or go to your nearest emergency department

If you have type 2 diabetes, an occasional high blood glucose level is not a reason to worry.

If you often have high blood glucose levels, this can lead to diabetes complications. You can ask your doctor to review your diabetes management plan.

How is hyperglycaemia diagnosed?

When you are diagnosed with diabetes you will be given a blood glucose meter. If your blood glucose level is higher than your target range, this is high blood sugar.

If your blood glucose level is over 15mmol/L this is hyperglycaemia.

It is normal for your blood glucose levels to vary at different times during the day

If you think that your blood glucose level doesn’t seem quite right, check that:

your hands and the meter is clean
the test strips are correct and have not expired
the battery

How is hyperglycaemia treated?

If you have diabetes your doctor has probably given you a diabetes management plan or a sick day plan. Check your plan for advice on what to do when your blood sugar is too high.

You may need to:

get extra rest
drink plenty of water and avoid drinks containing sugar, alcohol or caffeine
check your blood glucose level regularly
check your urine (wee) for ketones
change your dose of insulin

Can hyperglycaemia be prevented?

If you are living with diabetes, you will sometimes have hyperglycaemia. The following steps will help keep your blood glucose levels in the target range:

lifestyle factors
- follow a healthy eating plan
- aim for regular physical activity
- prevent weight gain
take your medicines as prescribed
manage stress
have a plan for when you get sick