Word parts
What it means
Too much sugar (glucoseGLOO-kohsA simple sugar that is the body's main source of energy.gluc/o sweet, sugar-ose sugarFull entry ) in the blood. It happens when the body has too little insulinIN-suh-linA hormone made by the pancreas that lets the body's cells take in glucose, also made as a medicine.Full entry or cannot use insulin well, as in diabetes mellitusdy-uh-BEE-teez MEL-ih-tusA long-term disease in which blood glucose stays high because the body makes too little insulin or cannot use it well.Full entry , and also with illness, stress, infection and drugs such as corticosteroidkor-tih-koh-STER-oydA drug that acts like the hormones of the adrenal glands, used mainly to calm inflammation and the immune system.cortic/o cortex (the outer layer of the adrenal gland)-oid likeFull entry . The classic symptoms are the three P's: much thirst (polydipsia), much urination (polyuria) and much hunger (polyphagia), with tiredness and blurred vision. Very high levels can lead to diabetic ketoacidosisdy-uh-BET-ik kee-toh-as-ih-DOH-sisA state of high blood glucose, ketones in the blood and acidic blood, caused by a lack of insulin.ket/o ketonesacid/o acid-osis abnormal conditionFull entry or HHSaych-aych-ES (said as letters)Hyperosmolar hyperglycemic state: very high blood glucose with severe dehydration and little or no ketone buildup.Full entry .
For the nurse
Check the blood glucose as ordered and give insulin by the correct scale or order. Look for the three P's, dehydration and a change in mental status, and report very high values. Teach sick-day rules: keep taking diabetes medicine as instructed, check glucose more often and drink fluids.
In a chart
"Fingerstick glucose 312 mg/dL; client reports thirst and frequent urination; sliding-scale insulin given per order."
Remember it
Hyper is high: high sugar in the blood.
At a glance
| Normal range | Fasting blood glucose 70–100 mg/dL [3.9–5.6 mmol/L]; a fasting level of 126 mg/dL [7.0 mmol/L] or more is in the diabetes range. |
|---|---|
| Everyday words | high blood sugar |
| Spanish | hiperglucemia |
| Also written | hyperglycaemia, hyperglycemic, high blood sugar |
Easy to confuse with
hypoglycemia
A blood glucose level below normal, under 70 mg/dL.
Related terms
insulin
A hormone made by the pancreas that lets the body's cells take in glucose, also made as a medicine.
diabetes mellitus
A long-term disease in which blood glucose stays high because the body makes too little insulin or cannot use it well.
glucose
A simple sugar that is the body's main source of energy.
blood glucose
The amount of sugar (glucose) in the blood at the time it is measured.
-emia
A word ending that means a condition of the blood, or something in the blood.
hyper-
A word beginning that means above, over or more than normal.