If you have diabetes, it must be more careful in the summer, during heat waves, you know how important it is to have a care routine.But the time of summer, with its high temperatures, can cause problems and make it more difficult to meet the care routine to control that disease.
If you suffer from diabetes, it is more difficult for your body to support high temperatures and humidity.You may need to make changes in your medications and your food and drinks when temperatures increase.
If you are familiar, you are in the care or you are the medical care provider of a person with diabetes, please share with you this information.
high temperatures
80 ° F temperatures (about 27 ° C) or more, especially with high humidity, can affect their medications, supplies for testing and their health.The heat index, the measure indicating how much heat the person feels when combining existing temperature and humidity levels, recommends taking precautions at temperatures from 80 ° F with a moisture of 40%.Extreme heat is especially dangerous for people 65 years of age and older, children under 4 years, and people with chronic diseases such as diabetes.
Heat can affect its sugar (glucose) levels in the blood and also increase the absorption of some fast -acting insulins, which means that it will need to do the blood glucose test more frequently, and perhaps adjust the intake of takingInsulin, food and liquids.
Take enough liquids, particularly water, to avoid dehydrating.Do not wait to be thirsty because it is a sign that it is already dehydrated.Avoid sugary drinks such as ice cream with sugar and soda.
If your doctor has restricted the amount of liquid you can take, ask you what you should do during hot hours.
Know the signs of heat -related diseases and know what to do if there are symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat stroke.The heat blow can cause death or some type of permanent disability if not treated immediately.
- Use sunscreen and lip protector with solar filter.
- Wear clothes that do not tighten, light and light color.
- Check medical information on the container of medicines to know what the high temperatures are affecting them.- - - Take the medications that you will need while you are far from home and protect them from heat.
- If you travel and take insulin, do not keep it in direct sunlight or in a hot car.Keep it in a laptop, but do not put it directly on the ice or cold gel pack.
- See the glucose meter labels and reactive strips to obtain information on their use in very heat and humidity.Do not leave them in a hot car, on the sides of the pool or the beach.
- Heat can damage insulin pumps and other equipment.Do not leave the pump disconnected or the supplies in direct sunlight or in a hot car.
- Perform your physical activity in areas with air conditioning, or do exercises outdoors early in the morning or in the afternoon, when it is less hot.
- Stay in places with air conditioning, either at home or in sites in your community.
