Introduction
Physical activity helps you keep your glucose levels within a healthy range, lowers the risk of heart disease and helps you manage your weight.
If you take glucose lowering medication such as insulin or sulphonylureas (Gliclazide, Glipizide, Glimepiride, Tolbutamide), it is important to be aware of the effect exercise can have on your blood glucose levels.
Pre exercise blood glucose levels
Before attending your weekly exercise class, we would recommend you to check your blood glucose levels just before you leave home.
Use the table below to identify any actions you need to take before attending the class. (Table source: Diabetes UK)
|
Pre exercise blood glucose level |
Range | Action |
|---|---|---|
|
Below 4mmol/L |
Range Too low for exercise |
Action
Do not exercise. Have your usual hypo treatment (see flow chart below). Call the cardiac rehab service and let us know. |
|
Between 4 -7mmol/L |
Range Healthy glucose level |
Action
Have a small healthy carbohydrate-containing snack such as 1 fruit or 1 yoghurt or 2 wholewheat crackers or 1 slice of wholemeal bread and attend exercise programme. |
|
Between 7- 13mmol/L |
Range Ideal glucose level for exercise | Action Suitable for exercise, come along to class. |
|
Above 13mmol/L |
Range High glucose level |
Action
You may attend the exercise programme if you feel well and are adequately hydrated. The cardiac rehabilitation team will decide with you about joining the class. |
Do not do any physical activity if you have had a hypo in the last 24 hours that you required assistance to manage as you were unable to treat it yourself.
If you have Type 1 or Type 3c diabetes mellitus and blood glucose levels are above 13mmol/L on two consecutive occasions OR more than 17mmol/L with no obvious reason, please check for blood ketones and follow sick day rules or contact your usual diabetes care provider.
Hypoglycaemia
Hypoglycaemia is often referred to as ‘hypo’ which means low blood glucose level. A blood glucose level of less than 4.0mmol/l would be considered as a hypoglycaemic episode. ‘Hypo’ symptoms will be different for everybody. You will learn how low blood glucose levels make you feel, although your symptoms may change over time.
The most common symptoms of a hypo are:
How do I treat my ‘hypo’
MyChart
We would encourage you to sign up for MyChart. This is the electronic patient portal at Cambridge University Hospitals that enables patients to securely access parts of their health record held within the hospital’s electronic patient record system (Epic). It is available via your home computer or mobile device
More information is available on our website: My Chart
Contacts/Further information
References/ Sources of evidence
We are smoke-free
Smoking is not allowed anywhere on the hospital campus. For advice and support in quitting, contact your GP or the free NHS stop smoking helpline on 0800 169 0 169.
Other formats
Help accessing this information in other formats is available. To find out more about the services we provide, please visit our patient information help page (see link below) or telephone 01223 256998. www.cuh.nhs.uk/contact-us/accessible-information/
Contact us
Cambridge University Hospitals
NHS Foundation Trust
Hills Road, Cambridge
CB2 0QQ
Telephone +44 (0)1223 245151
https://www.cuh.nhs.uk/contact-us/contact-enquiries/