Blood sugar level 7: what does it mean and what to do about it, how to stabilize glucose levels

Normal blood glucose levels range from 2.3 to 6.0 mmol/l on an empty stomach. After a meal, the value should not exceed 7.8 mmol/l. If the norm is violated, this indicates the development of diabetes. Moreover, even with a confirmed diagnosis, it is quite possible to stabilize the indicator. To do this, you need to adjust your diet, engage in regular physical activity and give up bad habits.

Blood sugar levels: table by age

When people talk about normal sugar levels, they mean a certain concentration of glucose in a person’s blood. The indicator is measured in millimoles per liter (abbreviated mmol/l) and is determined during a blood test, which today can be done both in the hospital and at home.

The norm is presented as a range from 3.3 to 5.5 mmol/L, and not a specific value. It depends on various factors:

• age;
• state of the body;
• eating, drinking;
• lifestyle features.

However, there is no direct connection between gender and sugar levels. In this regard, the body of a man and a woman works approximately the same. Therefore, the table shows general data (assuming blood is taken from a finger on an empty stomach).

Small deviations (within a few tenths) are allowed. They are associated with lifestyle habits, food intake, smoking, alcohol and other habits.

Attention!

After eating, your sugar levels rise, which is completely normal. But even in this case, it should not exceed 7.8 mmol/l.

What to do?

An increase in fasting blood sugar to 8 is a clear sign of diabetes.
This means that examination, treatment and regular monitoring by an endocrinologist are necessary. If blood sugar reaches 8 in repeated tests, what does this mean and what should be done? First of all, it is important to understand that the utilization of glucose is affected by lifestyle and nutrition, in which metabolism decreases and excess carbohydrates enter the body.

Activities that need to be started immediately:

• increase physical activity - do exercises, walk, ride a bike, go to the pool;
• adjust your diet - exclude confectionery and baked goods, replace them with fresh fruits, juices, and also replace animal fats with vegetable oils;
• Avoid drinking alcohol in any form - strong drinks, wine or beer, they contain a high concentration of carbohydrates.

It is also necessary to consult an endocrinologist as early as possible and follow all his instructions.

In what cases should you get checked?

You need to check for sugar levels in cases where the following symptoms are observed:

• frequent thirst;
• frequent urination;
• dry skin, itching;
• dry mucous membranes;
• frequent infectious diseases;
• deterioration of vision (decreased sharpness);
• fast fatiguability;
• decreased performance.

Checks are also carried out as planned, for example, during a medical examination, passing a commission, as part of a medical examination program, etc. Patients with diabetes regularly test their blood sugar - in some cases, daily monitoring is required.

Indications

A biochemical blood test for sugar is recommended to be done once every 3 years for patients over 40 years of age and once a year for those who are at risk (heredity for diabetes mellitus, obesity, etc.). This will help prevent the development of life-threatening diseases and their complications.

• Preventive examination of patients at risk for diabetes mellitus;
• Diseases of the pituitary gland, thyroid gland, liver, adrenal glands;
• Monitoring the condition of patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus receiving treatment, together with analysis for glycated hemoglobin and C-peptide;
• Suspicion of the development of gestational diabetes (24-28 weeks of pregnancy);
• Obesity;
• Prediabetes (impaired glucose tolerance).

Also, an indication for analysis is a combination of symptoms:

• strong thirst;
• frequent urge to urinate;
• rapid weight gain/loss;
• increased appetite;
• increased sweating (hyperhidrosis);
• general weakness and dizziness, loss of consciousness;
• smell of acetone from the mouth;
• increased heart rate (tachycardia);
• visual impairment;
• increased susceptibility to infections.

Risk groups for diabetes:

• Age from 40 years;
• Overweight; (abdominal obesity)
• Genetic predisposition to diabetes.

An endocrinologist, gastroenterologist, therapist, surgeon, pediatrician and other specialized specialists or general practitioners can interpret the results of a blood sugar test.

How to accurately determine your sugar level

You can reliably determine your blood sugar level at home (using a glucometer) or in the hospital (by taking a biochemical blood test). In the first case, you need to purchase a device and take measurements. The procedure is done in literally 1 minute.

The analysis cannot be carried out at any time and in any condition, since the results will be inaccurate. Before donating blood, you must go at least 12 hours without food or drink, including:

• juices (even without sugar);
• tea;
• coffee.

Also during this period you should avoid chewing gum, physical and emotional stress (including entertainment, entertainment, sports). It is recommended to drink only water. To make it easier to withstand this period, you need to not eat anything in the evening, and immediately donate blood for analysis in the morning.

Attention!

2 days before the analysis, exclude liver and kidneys, alcoholic beverages from the diet, limit meat, fish, tea and coffee. Also, during this time you should not engage in physical activity.

Low glucose (hypoglycemia)

• Pancreatic dysfunction;
• Hypothyroidism (insufficient production of thyroid hormones);
• Insulinoma (usually a benign neoplasm that is capable of secreting insulin);
• Diseases of the liver, kidneys, adrenal glands, incl. malignant;
• adrenal insufficiency (Addison's disease);
• Hypopituitarism (impaired secretion of hormones by the pituitary gland);
• Glycogenosis (a group of hereditary diseases caused by disruption of the process of synthesis and breakdown of glycogen due to existing defects in various enzymes).

Provoking factors:

• prolonged fasting, following a strict diet or fasting;
• disruption of the gastrointestinal tract, autonomic disorders, postoperative conditions;
• overdose of insulin or other glucose-lowering drugs;
• intoxication (poisoning) with arsenic;
• alcohol abuse;
• heavy physical activity;
• feverish conditions;
• taking medications: steroids, amphetamine, etc.

Analysis results: normal blood sugar level and deviation

As a result of the analysis, the exact value of glucose in the blood will be obtained:

1. If it exceeds 6.1 mmol/l on an empty stomach, this indicates the onset of diabetes mellitus.
2. If after eating or sweet drinks the value is more than 7.8 mmol/l, this also indicates diabetes.

Moreover, the study is carried out at least 2 times - only in this case (subject to confirmation of an overestimated value) can a diagnosis be reliably made.

Survey objectives

The analysis is intended to detect the presence of diseases of various origins, be it diabetes mellitus or the presence of a tumor. In addition to diagnostics, the analysis results are also used to prevent the occurrence of diseases. That is why this analysis is performed in completely different cases when an adult visits a doctor.

In addition, there are several types of blood glucose testing:

1. General blood analysis. It is not the amount of sugar that is examined, but rather the emphasis is placed on the level of hemoglobin and blood clotting.
2. Glucose tolerance test.

It takes about two hours:

• Initially, blood is taken before eating;
• then the subject drinks an average of 100 ml of sweetened syrup;
• Then blood is donated three more times: after an hour, 1.5 hours, and the last draw - after 2 hours.

If the pancreas is functioning normally, the glucose readings will be elevated during the first sampling, and will decrease with each subsequent result. This analysis is carried out when the purpose of the study is to identify prediabetes, as well as the possible presence of latent diabetes in a pregnant woman.

1. Analysis for glycated hemoglobin. Shows hemoglobin, whose molecules interact with glucose. So, with an increased sugar content there will be more glycated hemoglobin.
2. Also, the purpose of the study may include changes in glucose per day. With this method, the algorithm for changing a person’s sugar readings is controlled.
3. There are situations when there is no time to wait to go to the clinic, and the analysis needs to be done quickly. In such cases, the express method is used. It is carried out using a glucometer. Mainly used to control sugar status in diabetic patients. The advantage of this method is that it is fast. Disadvantage - possible difference from the results obtained in a laboratory test.

Blood sugar and type of diabetes

However, it is impossible to determine the type of diabetes (first or second) by the sugar level. The type of disease is not related to the result of the analysis, but to the causes of the pathology:

1. Type 1 diabetes is the most severe form, occurring in 10% of cases. It is an insulin-dependent pathology, when the main cause is associated with insufficient secretion of the hormone insulin. Treatment is lifelong injections of this substance with constant monitoring of sugar.
2. Type 2 diabetes is a less severe form and occurs in 90% of cases. This is acquired non-insulin-dependent diabetes. It is due to the fact that cells perceive insulin worse, which is why glucose does not penetrate into them and remains in the blood, which leads to an increase in levels.

Both forms of the disease are fraught with danger to the health and even life of the patient. If you do nothing, your health will worsen, which may lead to adverse consequences:

• destruction of blood vessels;
• serious metabolic disorder (ketoacidosis);
• heart attack;
• stroke;
• problems with vision and hearing;
• coma;
• limb amputation;
• bacterial and fungal skin infections;
• impotence.

Diagnosis of diabetes mellitus

It should be noted once again that a single case of detection of sugar in the range of 70-7.9 mmol/l is not evidence of diabetes mellitus. At a minimum, the patient will be prescribed the same repeat examination. You may need to do a glucose tolerance test. If other results reveal sugar levels above 7, but up to 11 mmol/l, the doctor can diagnose diabetes with a certain degree of confidence.

There are types 1 and 2 diabetes mellitus. The first type is insulin dependent. Most often diagnosed at a young age. Occurs after a viral or autoimmune lesion of the pancreas. There is a hereditary predisposition.

Type 2 diabetes occurs when cells become resistant to insulin.

Table: “Distinctive features of diabetes mellitus types 1 and 2”

The final conclusion about the presence of the disease, as well as its type, can only be made by the attending physician. Self-medication and self-diagnosis are extremely dangerous to health.

How to treat?

The question of ways to normalize blood sugar is entirely within the competence of the endocrinologist and is decided individually for each patient. There is no universal treatment regimen for everyone.

First of all, the type of diabetes is determined. If it is type 1, that is, insulin is not produced, replacement therapy is prescribed. This can be long-acting insulin, effective for 24 hours, or short-acting insulin, designed for 1 meal. They can be prescribed separately or in combination, with individual selection of a single and daily dose for each patient.

For type 2 diabetes, when insulin is produced but “does not work,” glucose-lowering drugs in tablets, decoctions and infusions of medicinal herbs are prescribed. In both cases, a mandatory component of treatment is special diet therapy and physical education.

The doctor selects the most convenient method of carrying out replacement therapy