Treatment FAQ

why is hypoglycemia a complication of the treatment ofdiabetes

by Melyna Gusikowski Published 2 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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The hormone insulin lowers blood sugar (glucose) levels when blood sugar is too high. If you have type 1 or type 2 diabetes and need insulin to control your blood sugar, taking more insulin than you need can cause your blood sugar level to drop too low and result in hypoglycemia.May 6, 2022

What is considered hypoglycemia in diabetes?

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How does hypoglycemia affect the life of a person with diabetes?

Hypoglycemia. For most people whose blood sugar is kept in the near normal range, less than 70 mg/dl can be considered low, or hypoglycemic. When you have type 2 diabetes and are treated with insulin releasing pills ( sulfonylureas, meglitinides, or nateglinide) or insulin, you are at risk for low blood sugars or hypoglycemia.

Are majority of hypoglycemic episodes experienced by patients with diabetes related to medication?

How hypoglycemia can affect the life of a person with diabete. Diabetes Metab Res Rev. 2008;24:87–92. [PubMed] [Google Scholar] 109. Cho K. Chronic ‘jet lag’ produces temporal lobe atrophy and spatial cognitive deficits.

What is the immediate treatment for hypoglycemia?

So, it could be inferred that majority of hypoglycemic episodes experienced by patients with diabetes are related to medication.

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Why is hypoglycemia a concern?

If you have diabetes, episodes of low blood sugar are uncomfortable and can be frightening. Fear of hypoglycemia can cause you to take less insulin to ensure that your blood sugar level doesn't go too low. This can lead to uncontrolled diabetes.

Is hypoglycemia a complication of type 2 diabetes?

Short-term complications of type 2 diabetes are hypoglycemia (very low blood glucose) and hyperosmolar hyperglycemic nonketotic syndrome (HHNS), which is very high blood glucose. Long-term complications of type 2 are diabetic retinopathy, kidney disease (nephropathy), diabetic neuropathy, and macrovascular problems.

What is hypoglycemic effect of insulin?

The hypoglycemic effect is produced by the stimulation of insulin secretion. The beneficial effect of Pm was comparable with the antidiabetic drug Glibenclamide. Fibers present in Pm may act as potential candidates in slowing the progression of diabetic complications.

Why do diabetics have hypoglycemia?

The hormone insulin lowers blood sugar (glucose) levels when blood sugar is too high. If you have type 1 or type 2 diabetes and need insulin to control your blood sugar, taking more insulin than you need can cause your blood sugar level to drop too low and result in hypoglycemia.

What happens when a diabetic has a hypoglycemic episode?

Severe hypoglycemia. Hypoglycemia happens when blood sugar levels are too low, usually below 70 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dl). Without treatment, such low levels of blood sugar can lead to seizures and become life-threatening. It is a medical emergency.

What is the pathophysiology of hypoglycemia?

Hypoglycemia is characterized by a reduction in plasma glucose concentration to a level that may induce symptoms or signs such as altered mental status and/or sympathetic nervous system stimulation. This condition typically arises from abnormalities in the mechanisms involved in glucose homeostasis.

What hypoglycemia means?

Low blood glucose, also called low blood sugar or hypoglycemia, occurs when the level of glucose in your blood drops below what is healthy for you. For many people with diabetes, this means a blood glucose reading lower than 70 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL).

What type of diabetes is hypoglycemia?

Hypoglycemia is the medical term for low blood sugar (low blood glucose). Your body, especially your brain, depends on this sugar to work. Too little sugar in your blood causes problems that can sometimes be serious. Hypoglycemia is common in people with type 1 diabetes (T1D).

Hypoglycemia Mechanisms

Hypoglycemia is in many ways the Achilles' heel of diabetes treatment. Medical authors have astutely noted that hypoglycemia is “the limiting factor” in the treatment of diabetes. 1 - 3 Reduction of glucose levels in patients with type 1 or type 2 diabetes has been shown to decrease the risks of kidney, nerve, and retinal injury.

Hypoglycemia Unawareness

When patients experience impairment of epinephrine and other responses to hypoglycemia, their awareness of and, therefore, ability to defend against hypoglycemia is compromised. Such is the case in many patients with longstanding diabetes, especially type 1 diabetes.

Treatment of Hypoglycemia

Teaching a patient to recognize and treat hypoglycemia is a key component of diabetes care. When patients detect the symptoms discussed above, they should perform a blood glucose test. If the reading is < 70 mg/dl, they should consume 15-20 g of carbohydrate.

Hypoglycemia Prevention

Patients who experience severe hypoglycemia because of hypoglycemia unawareness may regain some hypoglycemia awareness if higher glucose targets and avoidance of hypoglycemia are maintained for several weeks. 2 Continuous glucose monitors, which are now commercially available, may also help to limit glucose excursions.

Hypoglycemia Mechanisms

Hypoglycemia is in many ways the Achilles heel of diabetes treatment. Medical authors have astutely noted that hypoglycemia is the “limiting factor” in the treatment of diabetes. 1 – 3 Reduction of glucose levels in patients with either type 1 or type 2 diabetes has been shown to decrease the risks of kidney, nerve, and retinal injury.

Hypoglycemia Unawareness

When patients experience impairment of epinephrine and other responses to hypoglycemia, their awareness of, and therefore their ability to defend against, hypoglycemia is compromised. Such is the case in many patients with longstanding diabetes, especially those with type 1 diabetes.

Treatment of Hypoglycemia

Teaching patients to recognize and treat hypoglycemia is a key component of diabetes care. When patients detect the above symptoms, they should perform a fingerstick glucose measurement. If the reading is < 70 mg/dl, they should consume 15–20 g carbohydrate.

Hypoglycemia Prevention

Patients who experience severe hypoglycemia because of hypoglycemia unawareness may regain some hypoglycemia awareness if they adhere to higher glucose targets and avoid hypoglycemia for several weeks. 2 Continuous glucose monitors, which are now commercially available, may also help to limit glucose excursions.

Summary

The goal of diabetes therapy is to normalize glucose levels without lowering them excessively. Virtually any diabetes treatment, however, is also capable of causing hypoglycemia.

What are the symptoms of hypoglycemia?

The most common symptoms of hypoglycemia include shakiness, a fast heartbeat, anxiety, and hunger. If your blood sugar gets dangerously low, you may have symptoms like confusion, vision difficulties, behavioral changes, seizures, or even loss of consciousness. 1 . Hypoglycemia can occur in those without diabetes as well.

How to prevent hypoglycemic episodes?

To help prevent nocturnal hypoglycemic episodes, try eating a bedtime snack that's high in complex carbohydrates such as granola, oatmeal, or dried fruit. Keep your eating plan, exercise routine, and medication consistent in the afternoon and evening as well .

What is it called when you are unaware of your glucose levels?

This is known as hypoglycemic unawareness and it often happens at night while you're sleeping. It's more common in type 1 diabetes than in type 2. 4  Your blood sugar levels can become dangerously low if this continues, leading to a coma or even death.

What happens when you sleep with type 1 diabetes?

This is especially common with type 1 diabetes and a bit less common with type 2 diabetes. Your body produces two hormones, glucagon and epinephrine, that help keep your blood sugar at normal levels. During sleep, glucagon production decreases.

What causes low blood sugar?

The Cause of Your Low Blood Sugar Depends If You Have Diabetes. If you have diabetes, you may very well be familiar with the types of symptoms a blood glucose reading 70 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) or below causes. The most common symptoms of hypoglycemia include shakiness, a fast heartbeat, anxiety, and hunger.

How do you know if you have a hypoglycemic attack?

Other common signs of a hypoglycemic attack include: 1. Sweating. Headache. Vision changes. Sudden mood changes and increased irritability. If symptoms aren’t treated, it can lead to confusion, seizures, or a loss of consciousness.

How do you know if you have diabetes?

Common symptoms include: 1. Shakiness. Hunger. Fast heartbeat. Anxiety or panic . Tingling feeling around your mouth . Sweating.

Why do people with insulin lose their ability to detect low blood sugar?

Sometimes people treated with insulin releasing pills or insulin lose the ability to detect a low blood sugar – a condition known as hypoglycemic unawareness. Your brain has a trigger point that tells it when to release stress hormones from other organs in the body.

What happens when blood sugar is low?

When there are frequent low blood sugars, this set point gets reprogrammed to lower and lower blood sugar levels. And the stress hormones – which cause blood sugar levels to rise and cause symptoms – aren’t released until the blood sugar is dangerously low.

What is the blood sugar level of a diabetic?

For most people whose blood sugar is kept in the near normal range, less than 70 mg/dl can be considered low, or hypoglycemic. When you have type 2 diabetes and are treated with insulin releasing pills ( sulfonylureas, meglitinides, or nateglinide) or insulin, you are at risk for low blood sugars or hypoglycemia. It is very unlikely for individuals with type 2 diabetes who are only treated with lifestyle changes or blood sugar normalizing medications to have a low blood sugar.

How to check blood sugar with a meter?

Check your blood sugar with your meter. Take at least ½ cup fruit juice, or 3 glucose tablets, or approximately 15 grams of glucose or sugar if your blood sugar is low. You will need more glucose if the blood sugar is very low. Check your blood sugar again after 10 minutes.

Can you get low blood sugar from insulin?

Keeping some sugar or sweet handy (and eating it as necessary) Despite all the safety planning, you still may get a low blood sugar when you are treated with insulin releasing pills ( sulfonylureas, meglitinides, or nateglinide) or insulin. So always wear your medical alert identification.

Can you have diabetes with insulin?

When you have type 2 diabetes and are treated with insulin releasing pills ( sulfonylureas, meglitinides, or nateglinide) or insulin, you are at risk for low blood sugars or hypoglycemia. It is very unlikely for individuals with type 2 diabetes who are only treated with lifestyle changes or blood sugar normalizing medications to have ...

Is hypoglycemic unawareness a permanent condition?

Keep in mind, too, that hypoglycemic unawareness is not a permanent condition. For many people, symptoms of low blood sugar will return and act as your warning signal once you stop having chronic low blood sugars.

Why do people with hypoglycemia need to take extra care to check blood sugar frequently?

People with hypoglycemia unawareness need to take extra care to check blood sugar frequently. This is especially important prior to and during critical tasks such as driving. A continuous glucose monitor (CGM) can sound an alarm when blood sugar levels are low or start to fall.

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 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.

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.

Why is my blood sugar low?

One reason newer insulins are preferred over NPH and regular insulin is that they’re less likely to cause blood sugar lows , particularly overnight. Insulin pumps may also reduce the risk for low blood sugar. Accidentally injecting the wrong insulin type, too much insulin, or injecting directly into the muscle (instead of just under the skin), can cause low blood sugar.

How long does it take for blood sugar to rise?

Treatment—The "15-15 Rule". The 15-15 rule—have 15 grams of carbohydrate to raise your blood sugar and check it after 15 minutes. If it’s still below 70 mg/dL, have another serving. Repeat these steps until your blood sugar is at least 70 mg/dL.

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.

How to know if you have hypoglycemia?

Your brain needs a constant, steady supply of glucose. It can’t store or manufacture its own energy supply, so in the event your glucose level drops, your brain may be affected by the hypoglycemia. You may experience some of these symptoms: 1 unusual behavior, confusion, or both (this may manifest as an inability to complete routine tasks or remember information you would otherwise have no trouble recalling) 2 loss of consciousness (uncommon) 3 seizures (uncommon) 4 visual disturbances, such as double or blurred vision

What happens if your glucose level drops?

It can’t store or manufacture its own energy supply, so in the event your glucose level drops, your brain may be affected by the hypoglycemia. You may experience some of these symptoms:

How does insulin affect diabetes?

If you have diabetes, your body’s ability to use insulin is impaired. Glucose can build up in your bloodstream and may reach dangerously high levels ( hyperglycemia ). To correct this, you may take insulin injections or a series of other drugs that will help your body lower your blood sugar level. In the event you take too much insulin relative to the amount of glucose in your bloodstream, you may experience a blood sugar level drop, which can result in hypoglycemia.

What is it called when your blood sugar is low?

When you have an abnormally low level of blood sugar, your body’s ability to properly function may be impaired as a result. This condition is called hypoglycemia, and it’s officially defined as a blood glucose level of below 70 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL). Hypoglycemia is most common in people with diabetes.

Why is it important to measure blood sugar levels?

Because these signs aren’t specific to hypoglycemia, it’s important that you measure your blood sugar level when these symptoms occur if you’re diabetic . It’s the only way to know if they are caused by a blood glucose problem or another condition.

Can diabetes cause high blood sugar?

If you have diabetes, take care to not over-treat low blood sugar. You may end up causing your blood sugar level to rise too high. This fluctuation between low and high blood sugar may cause damage to your nerves, blood vessels, and organs.

Can you lose consciousness if you have hypoglycemia?

Ignoring the symptoms of hypoglycemia can be costly. A lack of glucose may shut your brain down, and you may lose consciousness. Untreated hypoglycemia can lead to: If you’re a caretaker for someone with diabetes who begins experiencing one of these symptoms, seek emergency help immediately.

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