seizures due to hypoglycemia? situation

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if you are outside hospital setting and patient has a seizure episode due to being hypoglycemia. if seizure just finish about three minutes ago is it ok to give them oral gel by mouth if they are conscious?

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Specializes in Travel Nursing, ICU, tele, etc.

I would say that it depends... often the postictal state can be accompanied by nausea and vomiting and a lot of confusion. Also, swallowing could well be impaired and the pt would be at risk for aspiration. If there is another alternative I would do that. Is there paramedics on the way? If you are in a situation where you could insert the gel up the rectum, I have heard that works very well. If it were a life threatening situation, where you had no immediate solutions at hand, I would most likely do the rectal route instead of risking aspiration and compromising the airway. I know of a couple of nurses who did that at my hospital and it was very effective. (perhaps not pretty, but to save a person's life, worth it.)

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thanks

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Specializes in Critical Care, Emergency, Education, Informatics.
if you are outside hospital setting and patient has a seizure episode due to being hypoglycemia. if seizure just finish about three minutes ago is it ok to give them oral gel by mouth if they are conscious?

Just dont try to put the whole tube of glucose in them at once. It can be given rectallyu, if your doing it orally, use small amounts and put it o na tounge blade placed inside the cheek and MONITOR CLOSELY. i did have a question, how did you know the seizure was from Hyproglycemia?

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the pt suffer from hypoglycemia in history

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i actually just went over this last night. you can put a think strip of it on the gum line between the lower lip and gums and it would be almost a sub lingual type of dosing. you wouldn't want to give it with a tongue blade because if their sugar is that low there is a chance for repeat seizure since the brain is trying to gain all the glucose that it can. if they seize again there is the chance of aspirating the liquid in their mouth.

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Specializes in ER,Neurology, Endocrinology, Pulmonology.

Valid point. In my experience most people who had hypoglycemia seizures were comatose afterwards. Maybe I just did not luck out having the ones that actually wake up.

Nat

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Specializes in ED, ICU, Heme/Onc.
if you are outside hospital setting and patient has a seizure episode due to being hypoglycemia. if seizure just finish about three minutes ago is it ok to give them oral gel by mouth if they are conscious?

If they are conscious and able to handle secretions, why not?

But giving rectal glucose to a stranger who has a hypoglycemic seizure in the supermarket really stretches the boundaries of the "Good Samaritan Laws". I'd call 911 and wait until the medics get there with the IV kit...:)

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If they are conscious and able to handle secretions, why not?

But giving rectal glucose to a stranger who has a hypoglycemic seizure in the supermarket really stretches the boundaries of the "Good Samaritan Laws". I'd call 911 and wait until the medics get there with the IV kit...:)

:yeah: hahaha...I was thinking the same thing - giving glucose rectally - wow you had better be right and have that 'save' I'd WAIT for medics too:nurse:

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