Now, after preliminary observations of 200 COVID-19 patients with severe hyperglycemia, a Michigan Medicine team is shedding light in a new American Diabetes Association paper about why high blood sugar may trigger worse outcomes in people infected with the virus. []–And researchers have developed a blood sugar management tool that may potentially reduce risk of secondary infections, kidney issues and intensive care stays in people with diabetes, prediabetes or obesity who get COVID-19.
it’s the low grade, inflammatory nature of diabetes and hyperglycemia that promote the virus’ inflammatory surge, resulting in insulin resistance and severe hyperglycemia. When the body becomes this inflamed, it triggers an abnormal immune response that instead of just attacking the virus, affects the rest of the body’s healthy cells and tissue, leading to rapid deterioration in health.
Specifically, these patients are at an increased risk for mechanical ventilation, kidney replacement therapy due to kidney failure and requiring medications known as vasopressors to stop dangerously low blood pressure or steroids to combat acute respiratory distress syndrome.
— source Michigan Medicine – University of Michigan | Aug 11, 2020