What is
hypoglycemia?
Hypoglycemia,
also called
low blood
glucose or
low blood
sugar,
occurs when
blood
glucose
drops below
normal
levels.
Glucose, an
important
source of
energy for
the body,
comes from
food.
Carbohydrates
are the main
dietary
source of
glucose.
Rice,
potatoes,
bread,
tortillas,
cereal,
milk, fruit,
and sweets
are all
carbohydrate-rich
foods.
After a
meal,
glucose is
absorbed
into the
bloodstream
and carried
to the
body’s
cells.
Insulin, a
hormone made
by the
pancreas,
helps the
cells use
glucose for
energy. If a
person takes
in more
glucose than
the body
needs at the
time, the
body stores
the extra
glucose in
the liver
and muscles
in a form
called
glycogen.
The body can
use glycogen
for energy
between
meals. Extra
glucose can
also be
changed to
fat and
stored in
fat cells.
Fat can also
be used for
energy.
When blood
glucose
begins to
fall,
glucagon—another
hormone made
by the
pancreas—signals
the liver to
break down
glycogen and
release
glucose into
the
bloodstream.
Blood
glucose will
then rise
toward a
normal
level. In
some people
with
diabetes,
this
glucagon
response to
hypoglycemia
is impaired
and other
hormones
such as
epinephrine,
also called
adrenaline,
may raise
the blood
glucose
level. But
with
diabetes
treated with
insulin or
pills that
increase
insulin
production,
glucose
levels can’t
easily
return to
the normal
range.
Hypoglycemia
can happen
suddenly. It
is usually
mild and can
be treated
quickly and
easily by
eating or
drinking a
small amount
of
glucose-rich
food. If
left
untreated,
hypoglycemia
can get
worse and
cause
confusion,
clumsiness,
or fainting.
Severe
hypoglycemia
can lead to
seizures,
coma, and
even death.
In adults
and children
older than
10 years,
hypoglycemia
is uncommon
except as a
side effect
of diabetes
treatment.
Hypoglycemia
can also
result,
however,
from other
medications
or diseases,
hormone or
enzyme
deficiencies,
or tumors.
What are the
symptoms of
hypoglycemia?
Hypoglycemia
causes
symptoms
such as
-
hunger
-
shakiness
-
nervousness
-
sweating
-
dizziness
or
light-headedness
-
sleepiness
-
confusion
-
difficulty
speaking
-
anxiety
-
weakness
Hypoglycemia
can also
happen
during
sleep. Some
signs of
hypoglycemia
during sleep
include
-
crying
out or
having
nightmares
-
finding
pajamas
or
sheets
damp
from
perspiration
-
feeling
tired,
irritable,
or
confused
after
waking
up
What causes
hypoglycemia
in people
with
diabetes?
Diabetes
Medications
Hypoglycemia
can occur as
a side
effect of
some
diabetes
medications,
including
insulin and
oral
diabetes
medications—pills—that
increase
insulin
production,
such as
-
chlorpropamide
(Diabinese)
-
glimepiride
(Amaryl)
-
glipizide
(Glucotrol,
Glucotrol
XL)
-
glyburide
(DiaBeta,
Glynase,
Micronase)
-
nateglinide
(Starlix)
-
repaglinide
(Prandin)
-
sitagliptin
(Januvia)
-
tolazamide
-
tolbutamide
Certain
combination
pills can
also cause
hypoglycemia,
including
-
glipizide
+
metformin
(Metaglip)
-
glyburide
+
metformin
(Glucovance)
-
pioglitazone
+
glimepiride
(Duetact)
-
rosiglitazone
+
glimepiride
(Avandaryl)
-
sitagliptin
+
metformin
(Janumet)
Other types
of diabetes
pills, when
taken alone,
do not cause
hypoglycemia.
Examples of
these
medications
are
-
acarbose
(Precose)
-
metformin
(Glucophage)
-
miglitol
(Glyset)
-
pioglitazone
(Actos)
-
rosiglitazone
(Avandia)
However,
taking these
pills along
with other
diabetes
medications—insulin,
pills that
increase
insulin
production,
or
both—increases
the risk of
hypoglycemia.
In addition,
use of the
following
injectable
medications
can cause
hypoglycemia:
-
Pramlintide
(Symlin),
which is
used
along
with
insulin
-
Exenatide
(Byetta),
which
can
cause
hypoglycemia
when
used in
combination
with
chlorpropamide,
glimepiride,
glipizide,
glyburide,
tolazamide,
and
tolbutamide
Source:
National
Diabetes
Information
Clearinghouse
(NDIC)
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