Risk factors

Many factors can contribute to hyperglycemia, including:

• Not using enough insulin or oral diabetes medication
• Not injecting insulin properly or using expired insulin
• Not following your diabetes eating plan
• Being inactive
• Having an illness or infection
• Using certain medications, such as steroids
• Being injured or having surgery
• Experiencing emotional stress, such as family conflict or workplace challenges

Illness or stress can trigger hyperglycemia because hormones produced to combat illness or stress can also cause your blood sugar to rise. Even people who don't have diabetes may develop transient hyperglycemia during severe illness. But people with diabetes may need to take extra diabetes medication to keep blood glucose near normal during illness or stress.