Treatment FAQ

what is an appropriate treatment for hypoglycemia?

by Yasmin Greenfelder Published 3 years ago Updated 2 years ago
image

If you have symptoms of hypoglycemia, do the following: Eat or drink 15 to 20 grams of fast-acting carbohydrates. These are sugary foods without protein or fat that are easily converted to sugar in the body. Try glucose tablets or gel, fruit juice, regular — not diet — soft drinks, honey, and sugary candy.Mar 13, 2020

Medication

Mar 25, 2021 · Injectable glucagon is the best way to treat severely low blood sugar. A glucagon kit is available by prescription. Speak with your doctor to see if you should have a kit. Be sure to learn how and when to use it. Let family members and others close to you know where you keep the glucagon kit and make sure they’ve been trained in how to use it too.

Therapy

Dec 09, 2021 · 1/2 can (4 to 6 ounces) of soda—not low-calorie or reduced-sugar soda. 1 tablespoon of sugar, honey, or corn syrup. Wait 15 minutes and check your blood glucose level again. If your glucose level is still low, eat or drink another …

Self-care

Treatment for severe hypoglycemia You will need to give your child an injection of glucagon. Then, wait 10-15 minutes. Glucagon will help raise your child’s blood sugar level back to normal. The amount depends on your child’s age. Do not worry about giving too much. It isn’t possible to give too much glucagon. Small child under age 5 0.3 mg

Nutrition

1. Raise Blood Sugar Level Give the person a high-sugar food such as: ½ cup fruit juice ½ cup regular (non diet) soda pop 3 glucose tablets Then follow with a …

What can you eat to treat hypoglycemia?

Treating severe hypoglycemia Glucagon is a hormone produced in the pancreas that stimulates your liver to release stored glucose into your bloodstream when your blood sugar levels are too low. Glucagon is used to treat someone with diabetes when their blood sugar is too low to treat using the 15-15 rule.

How to cure hypoglycemia?

Nov 10, 2021 · What treatment is given for hypoglycemia? A mild case of hypoglycemia can be treated through eating or drinking 15-20g of fast acting carbohydrate such as glucose tablets, sweets, sugary fizzy drinks or fruit juice. Some people with diabetes may also need to take 15-20g of slower acting carbohydrate if the next meal is not due.

How is mild or moderate hypoglycemia treated?

How do I treat an episode of hypoglycemia? The American Diabetes Association recommends the “15-15 rule” for an episode of hypoglycemia: Eat or drink 15 grams of carbs to raise your blood sugar. After 15 minutes, check your blood sugar. If it’s still below 70 mg/dL, have another 15 grams of carbs. Repeat until your blood sugar is at least 70 mg/dL.

What are precautions for people with hypoglycemia?

image

What is the first line treatment for hypoglycemia?

As the main counter-regulatory hormone to insulin, glucagon is the first-line treatment for severe hypoglycemia in insulin-treated patients with diabetes.Sep 6, 2011

What is an appropriate treatment for hypoglycemia raisins?

2 tablespoons of raisins. 4 or 5 saltine crackers. 4 teaspoons of sugar. 1 tablespoon of honey or corn syrup.

How do nurses treat hypoglycemia?

Nursing management includes administering glucose tablets (approximately three), glucose gel, or carbohydrates for the conscious patient. Carbohydrates may consist of 4 to 6 ounces of fruit juice or soda (not sugar-free), saltine crackers, or hard candy (only if the patient is alert).

What are 3 examples of appropriate carbohydrate sources for the treatment of hypoglycemia?

To treat hypoglycemia, the standard advice is to consume 10–15 grams of “fast-acting” carbohydrate....List of fast-acting carbs5–6 LifeSaver candies.4–6 ounces regular (non-diet) soda.4–6 ounces of orange juice.2 tablespoons of raisins.8 ounces of nonfat or low-fat milk.One tube (0.68 ounces) of Cake Mate decorator gel.Jun 1, 2016

What nonprescription products could be recommended for patients to use in treating hypoglycemic episodes?

In mild cases, hypoglycemia can be treated with high-sugar foods or beverages or with over-the-counter (OTC) glucose tablets or gels. For severe hypoglycemia due to diabetes, a prescription medication containing the hormone glucagon can be delivered by injection or nasal inhalation.Mar 4, 2022

How do you manage a patient with hyperglycemia?

TreatmentGet physical. Regular exercise is often an effective way to control your blood sugar. ... Take your medication as directed. ... Follow your diabetes eating plan. ... Check your blood sugar. ... Adjust your insulin doses to control hyperglycemia.Jun 27, 2020

How do hospitals treat hyperglycemia?

Insulin is the best way to control hyperglycemia in the inpatient setting especially in the critically ill patient. A variable rate, intravenous insulin infusion is the preferred method to achieve the recommended glycemic target.Dec 30, 2020

What is the rule of 15 for the management of hypoglycemia?

For low blood sugar between 55-69 mg/dL, raise it by following the 15-15 rule: have 15 grams of carbs and check your blood sugar after 15 minutes. If it's still below your target range, have another serving. Repeat these steps until it's in your target range.Mar 25, 2021

How to treat hypoglycemia?

Immediate treatment. If you have symptoms of hypoglycemia, do the following: Eat or drink 15 to 20 grams of fast-acting carbohydrates. These are sugary foods without protein or fat that are easily converted to sugar in the body. Try glucose tablets or gel, fruit juice, regular — not diet — soft drinks, honey, and sugary candy.

How to prevent recurrent hypoglycemia?

Depending on the underlying cause, treatment may involve: Medications. If a medication is the cause of your hypoglycemia, your doctor will likely suggest changing or stopping the medication or adjusting the dosage. Tumor treatment.

What to do if you have type 1 diabetes?

If you haven't been diagnosed with diabetes, make an appointment with your primary care doctor.

How to stabilize blood sugar?

Repeat these steps until the blood sugar is above 70 mg/dL (3.9 mmol/L). Have a snack or meal. Once your blood sugar is normal, eating a snack or meal can help stabilize it and replenish your body's glycogen stores.

What to do if you don't have glucagon?

If there's no glucagon kit available or you don't know how to use it, call for emergency medical help.

What to do if your blood sugar is too low?

If your blood sugar is still too low, eat or drink something sugary again. Repeat this pattern until your blood sugar is above 70 mg/dL (3.9 mmol/L). When you feel better, have a snack or a meal to keep your blood sugar from dropping again.

How to raise blood sugar quickly?

Then eat or drink something that's mostly sugar or carbohydrates to raise your blood sugar level quickly. Pure glucose — found in tablets, gels and other forms — is the preferred treatment. Foods with more fat, such as chocolate, don't ...

What happens if you have low blood sugar?

If you do, you may cause your blood sugar level to rise too high, which will make you feel thirsty and tired.

What is the hormone that raises blood sugar?

Glucagon is a hormone that raises blood sugar quickly. It can be lifesaving if someone isn't alert enough to eat or drink something to raise his or her blood sugar. Glucagon is available only by prescription.

Do you have to fast for blood work?

Be aware of pre-appointment restrictions. Sometimes you need to fast for blood tests. When you make the appointment, ask if fasting is necessary. If it is, ask what changes you need to make to your diabetes management because you're not eating or drinking. Write down your symptoms and how often they occur.

What is severe hypoglycemia?

Severe hypoglycemia is when your blood glucose level becomes so low that you’re unable to treat yourself and need help from another person. Severe hypoglycemia is dangerous and needs to be treated right away. This condition is more common in people with type 1 diabetes. Hypoglycemia Symptoms. Mild-to-Moderate.

How to know if you have hypoglycemia?

What are the symptoms of hypoglycemia? 1 crying out or having nightmares 2 sweating enough to make your pajamas or sheets damp 3 feeling tired, irritable, or confused after waking up

What is the blood sugar level of a diabetic?

For many people with diabetes, that means a level of 70 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) or less. Your numbers might be different, so check with your health care provider to find out what level is too low for you.

How to lower blood glucose after exercise?

Physical activity can lower your blood glucose during the activity and for hours afterward. To help prevent hypoglycemia, you may need to check your blood glucose before, during, and after physical activity and adjust your medicine or carbohydrate intake. For example, you might eat a snack before being physically active or decrease your insulin dose as directed by your health care provider to keep your blood glucose from dropping too low.

How to check blood glucose level?

1/2 can (4 to 6 ounces) of soda—not low-calorie or reduced sugar. 1 tablespoon of sugar, honey, or corn syrup. 2 tablespoons of raisins. Wait 15 minutes and check your blood glucose again. If your glucose level is still low, eat or drink another 15 grams of glucose or carbohydrates.

Can you eat when you're sick?

When you’re sick, you may not be able to eat as much or keep food down, which can cause low blood glucose. Learn more about taking care of your diabetes when you’re sick.

What happens if you don't eat enough carbs?

If you don’t eat enough carbohydrates to match your medication, your blood glucose could drop too low.

How to prevent hypoglycemia in children?

To help prevent hypoglycemia related to exercise, talk with your child’s doctor or nurse to adjust insulin dose before and after exercise. If your child has an insulin pump, they could disconnect from the pump and set a temporary basal rate before, during or after exercise.

How many levels of hypoglycemia are there?

There are 3 levels of hypoglycemia: mild, moderate and severe. Young children might not show these symptoms. Sometimes, they just might not seem like themselves. Here are the symptoms your child might have at each level and how you can help your child, depending on their age:

What is it called when blood sugar levels are too low?

What is hypoglycemia? When a child has diabetes, the amount of sugar, or glucose, their blood can fall too low. A low blood sugar level is called hypoglycemia . Blood sugar levels can fall very quickly.

What happens if a child doesn't eat enough food?

Missed meal or snack (When your child does not eat the amount of food they planned to eat) Miscounting carbohydrates in foods. Making a mistake in drawing up or administering insulin (insulin dose is too high) If your child is sick, vomiting or has diarrhea.

How long does it take for a child to develop hypoglycemia?

This is the most common cause of hypoglycemia. Your child can develop hypoglycemia soon after exercising or from 4-12 hours after exercise. Sometimes it can happen up to 24 hours ( delayed hypoglycemia)

Is it normal to have Type 1 diabetes?

It is a normal part of having Type 1 diabetes, even though it can make you nervous at times. Severe hypoglycemia is rare, but serious. Your child will need treatment right away if they develop hypoglycemia. Here are some ways you can help keep your child’s blood sugar levels within a normal range while eating:

Call 911 if

A person who has low blood sugar not related to diabetes loses consciousness.

2. Follow Up

If non-diabetic hypoglycemia is recurrent, see a health care provider. The health care provider will do tests to help determine the cause.

How to lower blood sugar in diabetics?

Physical activity. Exercise has many benefits. The tricky thing for people with type 1 diabetes is that it can lower blood sugar in both the short and long-term. Nearly half of children in a type 1 diabetes study who exercised an hour during the day experienced a low blood sugar reaction overnight.

What causes low blood sugar?

What you eat can cause low blood sugar, including: Not enough carbohydrates. Eating foods with less carbohydrate than usual without reducing the amount of insulin taken. Timing of insulin based on whether your carbs are from liquids versus solids can affect blood sugar levels.

What is glucagon used for?

Glucagon is used to treat someone with diabetes when their blood sugar is too low to treat using the 15-15 rule.

How many carbs should a child have to fix low blood sugar?

Young children usually need less than 15 grams of carbs to fix a low blood sugar level: Infants may need 6 grams, toddlers may need 8 grams, and small children may need 10 grams. This needs to be individualized for the patient, so discuss the amount needed with your diabetes team.

What does it mean when your blood sugar is high?

Other causes of symptoms. Other people may start to have symptoms of hypoglycemia when their blood sugar levels are higher than 70 mg/dL. This can happen when your blood sugar levels are very high and start to go down quickly. If this is happening, discuss treatment with your diabetes care team.

What happens if your blood sugar is below normal?

Low blood sugar is when your blood sugar levels have fallen low enough that you need to take action to bring them back to your target range. This is usually when your blood sugar is less than 70 mg/dL.

How do you know if your blood sugar is low?

From milder, more common indicators to most severe, signs and symptoms of low blood sugar include: Feeling shaky. Being nervous or anxious. Sweating, chills and clamminess.

What is the best medicine for hypoglycemia?

Healthcare providers can use a medication called glucagon. They inject it with a needle or squirt it up your nose. Glucagon is also available for home use. Your healthcare provider can prescribe it and teach a family member or friend how to use it in the event of severe hypoglycemia.

How do you know if you have hypoglycemia?

The only way to know if you have hypoglycemia is to check your blood sugar with a blood glucose meter. It’s a small machine that measures blood sugar. Most of these devices use a tiny prick of the finger to take a small amount of blood. People with hypoglycemia unawareness may need a continuous glucose monitor.

What is the term for a person who has a low blood sugar?

Hypoglycemia is when the level of sugar in the blood drops below a healthy range. It’s also called low blood sugar or low blood glucose. Everyone has different levels of blood sugar at different times. But for most people, low blood sugar is defined as below 70 mg/dL (milligrams per deciliter). Severe hypoglycemia usually happens ...

How to raise blood sugar?

Eat or drink 15 grams of carbs to raise your blood sugar. After 15 minutes, check your blood sugar. If it’s still below 70 mg/dL, have another 15 grams of carbs. Repeat until your blood sugar is at least 70 mg/dL. If you have symptoms of hypoglycemia but can’t test your blood sugar, use the 15-15 rule until you feel better.

Is severe hypoglycemia dangerous?

Severe hypoglycemia usually happens at lower levels and is generally defined as a low blood sugar event that requires the assistance of someone else in order to correct the low blood sugar. Severe hypoglycemia is dangerous and needs treatment right away. Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center.

Can you have hypoglycemia if you have diabetes?

Hypoglycemia is quite common in people with diabetes. If not treated, it can cause troubling symptoms, and even serious health problems. Fortunately, you can avoid hypoglycemic episodes by monitoring your blood sugar. You can also make small adjustments to eating and exercising routines.

Is low blood sugar dangerous?

Hypoglycemia (Low Blood Sugar) Hypoglycemia, also called low blood sugar or low blood glucose, can be dangerous if not treated. Caused by too much insulin in the blood, it’s common in diabetes. Simple tests can help you monitor your blood glucose so you can catch hypoglycemia early and bring your blood sugar back to a healthy range.

image

Diagnosis

Treatment

Lifestyle and Home Remedies

Preparing For Your Appointment

Your provider will work with you to develop a care plan that may include one or more of these treatment options.
Mild cases of hypoglycemia can be treated with small doses of glucose. Frequent episodes of hypoglycemia require medical help.
Medication

Sugar: In small doses to treat mild cases.

Glucose

Therapy

Hormone therapy:(Glucagon) To treat severe cases.

Self-care

Always talk to your provider before starting anything.

  • Stick to the prescribed dose of antidiabetics
  • Take the medications on time
  • Do not take extra dose of medicine to compensate for a missed dose

Nutrition

Foods to eat:

  • Choose complex carbohydrates like whole-wheat bread, broccoli, legumes, brown rice over simple carbohydrates
  • Lean protein
  • Foods with low glycemic index score

Foods to avoid:

  • Processed and refined sugars
  • Foods high in saturated fats or trans fats

Specialist to consult

Diabetologist
Specializes in the treatment of diabetes mellitus.
Endocrinologist
Specializes in the function and disorders of the endocrine system of the body.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9