hyperglycemia

noun

hy·​per·​gly·​ce·​mia ˌhī-pər-glī-ˈsē-mē-ə 

: excess of sugar in the blood

hyperglycemic

ˌhī-pər-glī-ˈsē-mik 

adjective

Examples of hyperglycemia in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

In diabetes, sugar builds up in your blood, leading to hyperglycemia (high blood sugar). —Anju Goel, Health, 4 Apr. 2025

It is caused by insulin resistance, where the body can’t respond fully to the insulin the pancreas produces, so blood glucose rises (hyperglycemia). —New Atlas, 3 Mar. 2025

In some cases, it is hypothesized that rapid correction of hyperglycemia induced by these drugs, rather than a toxic effect of the drugs, could be associated with the ophthalmic complications reported. —Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 12 Feb. 2025

Blood sugar levels help your providers monitor and treat hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) and hyperglycemia (high blood sugar, usually due to diabetes). —Brandi Jones, Msn-Ed, Health, 21 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from French hyperglycémie, from hyper- hyper- + glycémie glycemia

First Known Use

1894, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for hyperglycemia

• academia
• acidemia
• azotemia
• bacteremia
• hyperaemia
• hyperemia
• hypoxemia
• septicaemia
• septicemia
• thalassaemia
• thalassemia
• tularemia

Medical Definition

hyperglycemia

noun

hy·​per·​gly·​ce·​mia

variants or chiefly British hyperglycaemia

ˌhī-pər-glī-ˈsē-mē-ə 

: an excess of sugar in the blood

hyperglycemic adjective

or chiefly British hyperglycaemic

-mik