Diabetes Emergencies: Hypoglycemia and Hyperglycemia Care
Spot a low or a high early, know what to do in the moment and make a plan the people around you can follow.
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About this course
Spot a low or a high early, know what to do in the moment and make a plan the people around you can follow.
Lows and highs can happen to anyone with diabetes. This course helps you spot them early, act calmly and know when to get help.
You will learn how to recognize and treat a low, what ketones and DKA are, how to handle sick days, how glucagon is used and when to go to the emergency room. It is completely free, and it never replaces your own care team's plan.
What you will learn
Medically reviewed by
Dr. Shanto Arian is an internal medicine physician now specializing in clinical and aesthetic dermatology, with a parallel academic focus on epidemiology and public health. He holds an MBBS, MPH, MSc (UK), MRCP (UK), MRCPI (Ireland), Diploma in Dermatology (UK), and Diploma in Aesthetic Medicine (USA). Dr. Arian trained in internal medicine, including hospital work on hematology cases such as graft-versus-host disease, before moving toward dermatology. Skin is one of the earliest places diabetes shows itself, from acanthosis nigricans and diabetic dermopathy to slow foot wound healing, and that intersection is where his clinical and Diabic-review work meet. On Diabic, Dr. Arian medically reviews content on diabetes diagnosis, complications, dermatologic manifestations, and pharmacotherapy, ensuring every claim aligns with current ADA, NICE, and peer-reviewed literature.
For learning only. Talk to your doctor before changing medicine or habits.
Chapter 1: Diabetes Emergency Plan
- NIDDKLow Blood Glucose (opens in a new tab)
- American Diabetes AssociationStandards of Care 2025, Diabetes Care, Standards of Care supplement 2025 (opens in a new tab)
- FDADrugs@FDA: FDA-Approved Drugs (opens in a new tab)
- FDAFDA prescribing information, application 210134 (2019) (opens in a new tab)
- American Diabetes AssociationHyperglycemia (High Blood Glucose) (opens in a new tab)
- Endocrine SocietyEndocrine Society: ADA consensus, Hyperglycemic crises in adults with diabetes (opens in a new tab)
- CDCDiabetes Care During Emergencies (opens in a new tab)
- American Diabetes AssociationAmerican Diabetes Association: Safe at school state laws (opens in a new tab)
Chapter 2: What a Low Is
Chapter 3: Treating a Low
Chapter 4: Lows at Night
- National Library of MedicinePubMed article 26106190 (opens in a new tab)
- Diabetes CareDiabetes Care article, volume 36 (opens in a new tab)
- Mayo ClinicThe dawn phenomenon: What can you do? (opens in a new tab)
- Joslin Diabetes CenterJoslin Diabetes Center: Education (opens in a new tab)
- DexcomDexcom G7 15 Day CGM Sensor for Managing Diabetes (opens in a new tab)
Chapter 5: What a High Is
Chapter 6: Ketones and DKA
Chapter 7: HHS: Very High Blood Sugar
Chapter 8: Sick Days
- FDABlood Glucose Monitoring Devices (opens in a new tab)
- American Diabetes AssociationLow Blood Glucose (Hypoglycemia) (opens in a new tab)
- American Diabetes AssociationSick day guidance
- CDCDiabetic Ketoacidosis (opens in a new tab)
Chapter 9: Using Glucagon
Chapter 10: When to Go to the ER
Further reading on Diabic
- Your Diabetes Emergency Plan Checklist for Home and Work
- Hypoglycemia Emergency Treatment: Act Fast to Stay Safe
- When to Go to the ER for Diabetes: A Triage Guide
- How to Use a Glucagon Emergency Kit: Step by Step
- Low Blood Sugar Symptoms That Hit Without Warning
- How to Create a School Management Plan for Diabetes
- ER
- Glucose Tablets for Hypoglycemia: When and How to Use Them
- Hypoglycemia Risk in Older Adults With Diabetes
- Best Food to Eat When Blood Sugar Is Low
- Blood Sugar Drops at Night: Causes and Prevention
- Food to Raise Blood Sugar Fast: What Works in Minutes
- Using a Continuous Glucose Monitor for Hypoglycemia
- Dawn Phenomenon vs Somogyi Effect: Key Differences
- Dawn Phenomenon vs Somogyi Effect: Night Spikes
- Ketoacidosis: Symptoms, Treatment, and Warning Signs
- High Blood Sugar Symptoms You Shouldn't Ignore
- Hyperglycemic Hyperosmolar Syndrome: Warning Signs to Know
- DKA Symptoms: 5 Red Flags You Must Act On
- What Food Causes High Blood Sugar (and Why)
- Sick Day Checklist for Diabetes: Stay on Track
- Recognizing Diabetic Coma Warning Signs Early
- How to Use a Glucometer Step by Step for Accurate Readings