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Hypoglycemic unawareness and medication adjustment

Hypoglycemic unawareness and medication adjustment

Adjjstment statistically significant differences in OMAD success stories Hypolgycemic were reported, Teeth replacement options significant increases in Adjustmetn were reported for all subject Hjpoglycemic with the Hypoglcyemic of salbutamol. The mechanism by Hypogltcemic SSRIs might be associated with hypoglycemia unawareness is unknown, but it has been hypothesized that the effect may be via an atypical presentation of serotonin syndrome resulting in autonomic dysfunction. No symptoms — Your health care provider will talk to you about what to do if you check your blood glucose and it is low, but you have no noticeable symptoms. Click here for an email preview. The researchers concluded that both alanine and terbutaline effectively prevented nocturnal hypoglycemia. Hypoglycemia in the diabetes control and complications trial.

Hypoglycemic unawareness and medication adjustment -

A year-old Iranian woman with HU presented with a severe hypoglycemic episode. This episode was characterized by loss of consciousness and focal neural deficits, which were unusual symptoms in the patient, who was a medical intern with type 1 diabetes and currently being treated with regular and NPH insulin.

Hypoglycemia is a common complication in diabetic patients receiving oral or insulin therapy. A patient who is unaware of their condition may experience severe and potentially fatal episodes.

These incidents can negatively affect their daily lives as well as their careers and jobs. Hypoglycemia-associated autonomic failure is a possible cause for patients with multiple episodes of severe hypoglycemia.

IThe use of a continuous glucose monitoring device with an alarm, if available, can be an excellent option for these patients. Peer Review reports.

Hypoglycemia is a relatively common complication in diabetic patients, particularly those on insulin therapy [ 1 ]. Hypoglycemia symptoms are classified into autonomic and neuroglycopenic symptoms [ 2 ]. These autonomic symptoms serve as a warning signs [ 4 ].

Glucose is the primary fuel source of the brain. These symptoms include a feeling of warmth despite cold and damp skin , weakness, difficulty in thinking, tiredness and drowsiness, dizziness, blurred vision, slurred speech, loss of consciousness, as well as rare localized neurological conditions diplopia and hemiparesis [ 5 ].

Decreased or impaired awareness of hypoglycemia, commonly referred to as HU, is the development of neuroglycopenic symptoms without first having autonomic warning signs [ 6 , 7 , 8 ]. Moreover, HU increases the risk of recurrent severe hypoglycemia by six- to ninefold in persons with type 1 or type 2 diabetics T1DM, T2DM, respectively [ 6 , 7 , 10 ].

Here, we present the case of a medical student with a history of T1DM being treated with human insulin who suffered severe neurological symptoms from HU. A year-old Iranian woman weight: 57 kg; body mass index: She was a medical intern at the same hospital in the internal medicine ward, and the episode happened at 3 a.

Because other colleges were unaware of her previous medical history, the protocol for unconscious patients was immediately implemented.

Laboratory tests were run, including thyroid, kidney and liver function tests; the results are shown in Table 1. All tests revealed no abnormalities, despite a low BG level. The insulin level was high with a low C-peptide level.

Uptake of the IV bolus of dextrose improved the patient's level of consciousness, but she still had focal neurological symptoms, including hemiparesis and aphasia. Fifteen minutes after the initiation of treatment with serum dextrose, she was responsive to pain and stimulation. Thus, a CT scan to rule out vascular events was deferred.

After regaining consciousness, the patient mentioned having T1DM since the age of 18 years and receiving regular treatment with insulin and Neutral Protamine Hagedorn insulin NPH. In this setting, non-beta cell tumors are unlikely to be diagnosed.

The patient also claimed experiencing HU for the previous 2 years. She also mentioned at least three episodes of severe hypoglycemic episodes weekly during the last 3 months that may have necessitated the assistance of others.

These episodes mostly happened at night. The patient claims that she was very active during her work shift and did not have time to eat adequately, but she injected insulin at the usual dose.

The injection regimen of the patient consisted of multiple insulin injections day: regular insulin, 10 U before breakfast and dinner, and 6 U before lunch; NPH insulin, 25 U in the morning and 10 U at night.

Her dose had been adjusted at her last visit to her endocrinologist 3 months previously, but she has had several severe hypoglycemic attacks during the last 4 weeks. She was examined by a neurologist in the morning for her focal neurological symptoms, and the examination revealed no deficits.

Her medical history was also concerning for hpoglycemia-associated autonomic failure HAAF , and she was recommended to have this condition evaluated as outpatient. To avoid recurrent hypoglycemia, further laboratory tests and a follow-up evaluation with an endocrinologist were recommended, as well a switch from human insulins to analog insulins.

Hypoglycemia is a common side effect of various diabetes medications, such as insulin and sulfonylureas [ 8 , 11 ]. This condition can cause life-threatening episodes, significant morbidity, and a lack of optimal glycemic control.

Many routine activities, such as driving, job performance, and sporting competitions, can be affected by hypoglycemia [ 12 ]. This clinical scenario necessitates additional investigation and a review of the medical regimen.

The true prevalence of hypoglycemia in persons with T1DM is unknown [ 2 , 8 , 19 ]. HU happens more often in those who: 1 repeatedly have low blood sugar episodes which can cause the patient to stop sensing the early warning signs of hypoglycemia ; 2 have had diabetes for an extended time; and 3 tightly control their diabetes which intensifies their probabilities of having low blood sugar reactions [ 15 , 16 , 18 ].

Changes to insulin regimen. Decreased glucose that enters the bloodstream. The possible explanation of the hypoglycemia in our patient is expected to be delayed meals due to work shifts and lack of carbohydrates at night before sleeping [ 1 , 2 , 6 , 8 , 11 ].

Increased glucose uptake. Other possible causes, in the present case, are due to increased physical activity following work shifts [ 1 , 2 , 6 , 8 , 11 ]. Decreased endogenous glucose production following alcohol consumption. The medical history of our patient and test results did not confirm this possibility [ 1 , 2 , 6 , 8 , 11 ].

Decreased renal insulin excretion following renal failure. The medical history of our patient and test results did not confirm renal insufficiency [ 1 , 2 , 6 , 8 , 11 ]. Increased insulin sensitivity following weight loss or exercise or severe glycemic control.

She also mentioned beginning sports activities in the last 6 months [ 1 , 2 , 6 , 8 , 11 ]. Previous studyies have linked both tight glycemic control [ 22 , 23 , 24 ] and attempts to rapidly control hemoglobin A1c HbA1c levels [ 22 , 25 ] to increased hypoglycemic events [ 26 ].

Our patient had an HbA1c of 5. According to related studies in patients with insulin-dependent diabetes, the incidence of hypoglycemic attacks in patients taking regular insulin is higher than that in patients taking newer insulins, including lispro [ 27 , 28 , 29 ], which is consistent with our reported case.

Our patient had also been given regular insulin and NPH. The risk of hypoglycemia is higher with human insulin than with analog insulin such as Lantus and Novorapid [ 30 ], and therefore the preferred type of insulin in T1DM is analog insulin.

A study by Smith et al. revealed that reduced compliance to changes in insulin regimen in hypoglycemia unawareness is consistent with hypoglycemic stress habituation.

These authors concluded that therapies aimed at altering repetitive risky behavior could be beneficial in restoring hypoglycemia awareness and preserving toward severe hypoglycemia [ 31 ]. HAAF is another possible explanation for the hypoglycemic episodes experience by our patient.

HAAF is a type of functional sympathoadrenal failure caused most commonly by recent antecedent iatrogenic hypoglycemia and is at least partially reversible by careful avoidance of hypoglycemia. HAAF can be maintained by recurrent iatrogenic hypoglycemia [ 32 ].

It is vital to distinguish HAAF from conventional autonomic neuropathy, which can also be caused by diabetes. Sympathoadrenal activation appears to be inhibited only in response to hypoglycemia, while autonomic activities in organs, such as the heart, gastrointestinal tract, and bladder, are unaffected [ 32 ].

Our case was examined for this possibility due to her long history of severe hypoglycemic attacks, which needed further evaluation to rule out having HAAF after an evaluation of sympathoadrenal response to hypoglycemia. People with HU are unable to detect drops in their blood sugar level, so they are unaware that they require treatment.

Unawareness of hypoglycemia increases the risk of severe low blood sugar reactions when they need someone to help them recover. People who are unaware of their hypoglycemia are also less likely to be awakened from sleep when hypoglycemia occurs at night.

People who are hypoglycemic but are unaware of it must take extra precautions to monitor their blood sugar levels regularly. This is especially true before and during critical tasks, such as driving.

When blood sugar levels are low or begin to fall, a CGM can sound an alarm. Such a device can be a great assistance to people with HU [ 12 , 15 ]. With continuous BG monitoring, children and adults with T1DM spend less time in hypoglycemia and simultaneously decrease their HbA1c level [ 33 , 34 ].

A prior study showed that diabetic patients with reduced beta-adrenergic sensitivity may be unaware of hypoglycemia, and the best suggestion for these patients is to strictly avoid hypoglycemia [ 35 , 36 ]. Our patient was also advised to have emergency glucose tablets, intermuscular, or intranasal glucagon injections at her disposal all of the time to avoid hypoglycemic attacks.

The glucagon injection pen was not available in Iran at the time of the episode described here, neither was a CGM, so she was recommended to follow educational sessions on carbohydrate counting and perform excessive SBGM. The patient was given strict advice based on her job and profession, as well as the need to control her blood sugar level to the extent that it did not interfere with her professional and daily functioning [ 12 ].

She was advised to see her endocrinologist to adjust her insulin dose based on her unawareness of hypoglycemia attacks and her work schedule, which may not allow her enough time to rest and consume enough carbohydrates, potentially leading to life-threatening attacks, especially since her coworkers were unaware of her medical condition.

It is strongly advised that people with diabetes, especially patients like this case, wear some sort of identification, such as a bracelet, or carry a card that state their condition [ 15 ]. Normalization of autonomic response takes 7—14 days on average, but it can take up to 3 months to normalize the threshold of symptoms, neuroendocrine response, and glucagon response although glucagon response is never fully recovered [ 37 , 38 ].

Another suggestion was to switch human insulin to the analog type of insulin. Hypoglycemia is a fairly common complication in diabetic patients receiving oral or insulin therapy. However, in a subset of patients who are unaware of hypoglycemia for a variety of reasons, these warning signs do not exist, resulting in severe and life-threatening hypoglycemic episodes.

As a result, patients who have multiple episodes of HU are advised to raise their blood sugar control threshold for at least 2 weeks and to wear at all times a bracelet or label indicating their medical condition.

In addition, in these patients, the use of CGM equipped with alarms in the occurrence of severely low blood sugar can be a perfect option. Patient data and information can be accessed for review after obtaining permission from the patient without any disclosure of her name.

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Throughout the day, depending Unaawreness multiple factors, blood glucose unawafeness Electrolyte balance strategies blood sugar levels Electrolyte balance strategies Increase mental clarity or aadjustment. This is normal. Aand if it goes below the healthy range and is mecication treated, it can get dangerous. Low blood glucose is when your blood glucose levels have fallen low enough that you need to take action to bring them back to your target range. However, talk to your diabetes care team about your own blood glucose targets, and what level is too low for you. Each person's reaction to low blood glucose is different.

Hypoglycemic unawareness and medication adjustment -

A: Researchers are interested in different aspects of hypoglycemia unawareness such as the cause, complications, and treatments. Some groups are studying why recurrent hypoglycemia leads to impaired awareness.

Is it a problem with brain adaptation to hypoglycemia, or is it only a problem with people who have severe glucagon deficiency? Other groups are doing research on the long-term effects of recurrent hypoglycemia on the function of other organs.

I just finished a study where we gave people naloxone during an episode of exercise to determine if they recognize their hypoglycemia the next day, but the study was just completed, so we do not have results yet.

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Q: What is hypoglycemia? Q: What is hypoglycemia unawareness, and how common is it? What is your experience managing hypoglycemia unawareness?

Tell us in the comments below. Click to load comments Loading comments Blog Tools Subscribe Subscribe to get blog updates. Print Facebook X Email More Options WhatsApp LinkedIn Reddit Pinterest Copy Link. Patient Communication Research Advancements Complications of Diabetes Medication and Monitoring Practice Transformation Diabetes Prevention Patient Self-Management Obesity and Weight Management Social Determinants of Health New Technologies Type 1 Diabetes Diabetic Kidney Disease Nutrition Shared Decision-Making Community Health 8.

July 1. June 2. β-Adrenergic agonists, methyxanthines, and even the amino acid alanine may cause an upregulation of hypoglycemia awareness and should be studied further. SSRIs should be used in patients with diabetes when the risk-benefit considerations include the possibility of reduction in hypoglycemia awareness.

Clinicians treating patients with diabetes need to be aware of the increased risk for medication-induced hypoglycemia episodes in their patients. White, Jr.

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Alanine and terbutaline in prevention of nocturnal hypoglycemia in IDDM. Diabetes Care. American Diabetes Association. View Metrics. Email alerts Article Activity Alert. Online Ahead of Print Alert. Latest Issue Alert. Latest Most Read Retrospective Analysis of Once-Daily Versus Twice-Daily Insulin Glargine Dosing in Noncritically Ill Individuals.

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Both of these studies attribute the positive improvements seen in healthy subjects to γ-aminobutyric acid GABA signaling. Modulating GABA signaling as a means to restore counterregulation and hypoglycemia awareness is supported by pre-clinical models Chan et al.

Clinically, antecedent GABA-A activation with the benzodiazepine, alprazolam, has been shown to blunt the neuroendocrine and autonomic nervous system responses to subsequent hypoglycemia in healthy humans Hedrington et al. Consistent with these findings, antagonism of GABA with dehydroepiandrosterone DHEA can prevent the development of HAAF under experimental conditions in healthy humans Mikeladze et al.

Thus, with successful proof of concept studies in healthy humans, more recent studies in people with long-standing diabetes have shown that GABA administration significantly augmented the hormonal counterregulatory response to hypoglycemia Espes et al.

Pre-treatment with opioid receptor agonists can impair the counterregulatory response to hypoglycemia Carey et al. Conversely, pre-treatment with the opioid receptor antagonist naltrexone can prevent the development of an impaired counterregulatory response to hypoglycemia Leu et al.

Based on animal studies that indicate a possible role for selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors SSRIs to augment the counterregulatory response to glucoprivation Baudrie and Chaouloff, , clinical studies have demonstrated that 6-week treatment with SSRIs augmented counterregulatory, but not symptom responses, to hypoglycemia in nondiabetic people Briscoe et al.

It remains to be determined if these beneficial effects of SSRIs are mediated by the inhibition of neuronal serotonin uptake or via inhibition of norepinephrine transport in the CNS Chaouloff et al. It also remains to be determined why hypoglycemia awareness was not improved with SSRI therapy.

IAH continues to be a complication in people with both T1D and T2D who seek optimal glycemic control with insulin therapy. Providers who care for patients with diabetes should inquire about hypoglycemia and IAH with a view towards considering treatment options.

This review shows that there are several advances in technology and educational approaches that can improve hypoglycemia awareness. With regards to pharmacological treatments, basic science research in animal models is continuing to elucidate the mechanism s responsible and these novel treatments for IAH are being advanced into clinical trials.

Future studies should focus on these possible mechanisms to develop more targeted therapies for patients who suffer from IAH. EM: Writing—original draft. MD: Writing—original draft. YL: Writing—review and editing. MM: Writing—review and editing.

MW: Writing—review and editing. CM: Writing—review and editing. AW: Writing—review and editing. AM: Writing—review and editing. ZB: Writing—review and editing. BP: Writing—review and editing. LS: Writing—review and editing.

AI: Writing—review and editing. SF: Writing—original draft. NIH support DK, DK to SF, DK to YL, TL1TR to MD, as well as support from the University of Kentucky Barnstable Brown Diabetes Center and the Diabetes and Obesity Research Priority Area.

The authors would like to thank and acknowledge NIH support DK, DK to SF, DK to YL, TL1TR to MD, as well as support from the University of Kentucky Barnstable Brown Diabetes Center and the Diabetes and Obesity Research Priority Area.

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers.

Any product that may be evaluated in this article, or claim that may be made by its manufacturer, is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher. Adachi, A. Convergence of hepatoportal glucose-sensitive afferent signals to glucose-sensitive units within the nucleus of the solitary tract.

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Journal of Medical Case Organic green tea volume 16Article number: Unawzreness Hypoglycemic unawareness and medication adjustment article. Metrics details. Hypoglycemia Hypoglycemic unawareness and medication adjustment a fairly common complication in unawarenews patients, particularly in those on insulin therapy. Hypoglycemia symptoms are classified into two types: autonomic and neuroglycopenic symptoms. If a person develops neuroglycopenic symptoms before the appearance of autonomic symptoms or is asymptomatic until blood sugar levels are very low, the patient will develop hypoglycemic unawareness HU. A year-old Iranian woman with HU presented with a severe hypoglycemic episode.

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However, if someone is exposed unaaareness recurrent episodes of Hypogllycemic, the glucose level that triggers symptoms adjusment hypoglycemia keeps getting Hypoglycemid and lower. So, the Hypoglyceimc may not notice their symptoms until it is too late, zdjustment they become unconscious.

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Q: What are emdication risk factors for amd hypoglycemia unawareness? Adjusmtent A person must be taking a medicine that causes hypoglycemia, such as insulin or sulfonylurea. We also see Hjpoglycemic risk factors such Caffeine and cholesterol levels having diabetes for 20 or 30 years, trying too hard to reach low glucose levels, or having trouble managing their diabetes.

Q: What are the complications of hypoglycemia unawareness? A: The main complication of hypoglycemia unawareness is becoming unconscious.

Unconsciousness may lead to other problems like car accidents or accidents at work, which may result in severe injury for the person and for others. Recurrent episodes of hypoglycemia may also contribute to long-term problems with brain and heart function.

For example, people who have an episode of severe hypoglycemia are at a greater risk of having a heart attack or a stroke in the next year. It is not clear if this is only because of the hypoglycemia, or if these are just very frail people.

Health care professionals should keep this in mind and pay close attention to other risk factors for cardiovascular disease in these patients, such as hypertension and high cholesterol.

Q: How can health care professionals diagnose hypoglycemia unawareness in their patients with diabetes? A: Health care professionals should talk to their patients about hypoglycemia at every visit, and they should ask their patients how low their blood sugar has to go before they have symptoms.

This should prompt the health care professional to think about why the patient is experiencing episodes of hypoglycemia. Is the patient using too much insulin?

Is the patient skipping meals? Has the patient changed their physical activity level? This also reminds us that these patients should carry glucagon with them, and someone—a family member, coworker, or teacher—should know how to access and administer it.

Q: How can health care professionals help patients manage hypoglycemia unawareness? A: Continuous glucose monitors are very good tools for patients that are at risk of hypoglycemia unawareness, because the CGM will alert them if their blood glucose level gets too low.

Patients also will know what their blood glucose level is before they drive, and have insights into how food and exercise affect their glycemia.

Health care professionals should also make sure that patients understand that they need to be aware of some circumstances that may put them at risk. The same is true for alcohol—if patients drink alcohol, it increases the risk of hypoglycemia, so they should be reminded to eat food if they are going to drink.

Some studies have shown that if patients avoid hypoglycemia for some time, they can begin to feel the symptoms of hypoglycemia again. I have seen this in people with diabetes that participate in my research studies. By preventing hypoglycemia, you can reset the body to respond differently to symptoms of hypoglycemia.

Some health care professionals may prefer to use newer basal insulins in patients at risk of hypoglycemia because these insulins seem to have less risk of hypoglycemia than the older ones, but they can still cause hypoglycemia, and we need to be aware of that.

I think that for many people, it is easier to administer mealtime insulin when they have an insulin pump. It is also important to remember that some patients may be afraid to report episodes of hypoglycemia to their doctors because of legal implications.

For example, some states may require people with diabetes to not have a hypoglycemia episode for 6 to 12 months before they can drive a vehicle. Health care professionals should emphasize to patients that they should know what their blood glucose level is before they drive a car, and that they should have food on hand, so if their glucose level drops, they can manage it.

Q: What research is being conducted on hypoglycemia unawareness? A: Researchers are interested in different aspects of hypoglycemia unawareness such as the cause, complications, and treatments.

Some groups are studying why recurrent hypoglycemia leads to impaired awareness. Is it a problem with brain adaptation to hypoglycemia, or is it only a problem with people who have severe glucagon deficiency?

Other groups are doing research on the long-term effects of recurrent hypoglycemia on the function of other organs. I just finished a study where we gave people naloxone during an episode of exercise to determine if they recognize their hypoglycemia the next day, but the study was just completed, so we do not have results yet.

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Q: What is hypoglycemia? Q: What is hypoglycemia unawareness, and how common is it? What is your experience managing hypoglycemia unawareness? Tell us in the comments below. Click to load comments Loading comments Blog Tools Subscribe Subscribe to get blog updates.

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: Hypoglycemic unawareness and medication adjustment

How Hypoglycemia Unawareness Affects People with Diabetes

Emergency treatment Glucagon is a hormone that raises blood sugar quickly. Difficult-to-manage hypoglycemia Some people have frequent and severe hypoglycemia despite medication adjustments. Continuous glucose monitor and insulin pump.

Hypoglycemia unawareness Some people don't have or don't recognize early symptoms of hypoglycemia hypoglycemia unawareness. Request an appointment. Teach people how to help Inform people you trust, such as family, friends and co-workers, about hypoglycemia. Plan ahead Always carry a low blood sugar treatment with you, such as glucose tablets, hard candy or gel.

Wear a medical ID It's a good idea to wear a necklace or bracelet and have a wallet card that identifies you as someone who has diabetes. Here's some information to help you get ready for your appointment.

What you can do Be aware of pre-appointment restrictions. Sometimes you need to not eat or drink anything but water for 8 to 12 hours 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.

Make a list of your symptoms and how often they occur. It helps to keep a record of your blood sugar readings and low blood sugar reactions so that you and your health care provider can see patterns leading to hypoglycemia.

Make a list of key personal information, including major stresses or recent life changes. If you're monitoring your glucose values at home, bring a record of the glucose results, detailing the dates and times of testing.

Make a list of medications, vitamins and supplements you take. Create a record of blood glucose meter values. Give your health care provider a written or printed record of your blood sugar levels, times and medication.

Take your glucose meter with you. Some meters allow your provider's office to download the recorded glucose values.

Write down questions to ask your health care provider. Ask your provider about any parts of your diabetes management plan where you need more information. Questions you may want to ask include: How often do I need to check my blood sugar?

What is my target blood sugar range? How do diet, exercise and weight changes affect my blood sugar? How can I prevent low blood sugar? Do I need to worry about high blood sugar? What are the signs and symptoms I need to watch out for? Do I need a prescription for emergency glucagon? If I continue having hypoglycemia, when do I need to see you again?

Don't hesitate to ask other questions. What to expect from your doctor Your health care provider is likely to ask you a number of questions, such as: What symptoms do you notice when you have low blood sugar? How often do you have these symptoms?

What do you do to raise your blood sugar levels? What's a typical day's diet like? Are you exercising? If so, how often? Do your family, friends and co-workers know what to do if you have severe hypoglycemia? By Mayo Clinic Staff. May 06, Show References.

American Diabetes Association. Standards of medical care in diabetes — Diabetes Care. Low blood glucose hypoglycemia.

National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Accessed Feb. Melmed S, et al. In: Williams Textbook of Endocrinology. Elsevier; Hypoglycemia low blood sugar. Accessed Jan.

Mahoney GK, et al. Severe hypoglycemia attributable to intensive glucose-lowering therapy among US adults with diabetes: Population-based modeling study, Mayo Clinic Proceedings. Cryer PE, et al.

Hypoglycemia in adults with diabetes mellitus. Castro MR expert opinion. Mayo Clinic. A Book: The Essential Diabetes Book. Show the heart some love! Give Today. Help us advance cardiovascular medicine. Find a doctor. Explore careers. Sign up for free e-newsletters.

About Mayo Clinic. About this Site. Contact Us. Health Information Policy. Media Requests. The usual warning symptoms such as shakiness, sweating, and irritability are absent.

Without these adrenergic responses, such individuals only develop neurological symptoms such as confusion, at which time they are unable to take action to treat their low blood glucose and therefore develop severe hypoglycemia. Hypoglycemia unawareness was once associated with longstanding diabetes but is now known to occur as a result of increasing frequency of hypoglycemia and not just longer duration of the disease.

Avoidance of hypoglycemia for several weeks may lead to improved hypoglycemia awareness. Hypoglycemia should not be viewed as an insurmountable barrier, but rather as an opportunity to potentially improve a recommended medication strategy, improve on daily diabetes care practices, or uncover other medical diagnoses that may be contributing to the development of hypoglycemia.

How can HCPs assist individuals with diabetes in identifying potential risk factors for the development of hypoglycemia or identifying the causes of hypoglycemia events?

The cause may seem obvious: either the diabetes medication, likely insulin, did not match the amount of food ingested, or the level of exercise a patient performed was too much for the amount of food ingested and the amount of medication taken. But often, teasing out the exact triggers can be a challenge.

Table 1 provides a checklist of potential causes of hypoglycemia. HCPs may need to think like a crime scene investigator to uncover the causes and contributing factors that have led to a hypoglycemic event.

Allowing individuals with diabetes and their family to tell their story about a hypoglycemic event may allow HCPs to uncover a need not only for medication changes, but also for changes in patients' behavioral responses to hypoglycemia.

Empowering individuals to have more control over such situations will also help reduce the anxiety and fear often associated with hypoglycemia. Probing patients with pertinent questions will help create an accurate understanding of the context of reported hypoglycemia.

This can also reduce misunderstandings between patients and providers and provide education opportunities about skills or concepts that may seem basic to providers but can be challenging for patients. When patients report that they have been experiencing low blood glucose, it is important to define hypoglycemia together.

What do patients consider to be a low blood glucose level? Is this based solely on feelings or have they been able to actually check their blood glucose at the moment of symptoms? If self-monitoring of blood glucose SMBG records are available, at what point or level of blood glucose do individuals start to experience symptoms of hypoglycemia?

People with consistently high blood glucose levels will feel hypoglycemic at blood glucose levels higher than the normal range, whereas those with tight glycemic control may feel hypoglycemic at lower levels. Discussing these concepts with patients provides practical motivation and support for the role of SMBG in medication adjustment and safety.

Another area worthy of inquiry is patients' actions leading up to hypoglycemic events. It may seem obvious that changes in food choices, physical activity, or medication can produce hypoglycemia, but letting patients verbalize their patterns or changes in patterns can allow them to discover this for themselves.

Eating a smaller meal or one containing less carbohydrate than normal may result in a low postprandial blood glucose level. If changes in food choices lead to hypoglycemic events, patients likely did not do this on purpose.

Have they been less hungry lately, or are they trying to lose weight? Has there been a change in their oral health? Many individuals do not understand the complexity of factors affecting postprandial glucose levels or are not able to consistently identify a low-carbohydrate or high-carbohydrate meal or to accurately estimate the number of calories in their meals.

For patients who are doing basic carbohydrate counting, explore the potential impact of the presence or absence of protein and fat in meals. These individuals may not recognize or may easily forget the role of protein and fat because they are concentrating more closely on carbohydrates.

For patients who are counting calories or using some overall means of portion control, explore the impact of significant changes in carbohydrate content and assess their ability to identify foods that are rich in carbohydrates.

These individuals may not understand the importance of carbohydrate budgeting. In these discussions, providers may find patients to be at a point of readiness to be referred to a registered dietitian or certified diabetes educator for more nutrition education.

Changes in physical activity that can lead to hypoglycemia can include more than just intentional exercise. Particularly for people who are usually sedentary, an increase in overall energy and stamina that leads to doing more errands, gardening, or housework than normal may result in hypoglycemia.

In contrast, athletes with diabetes who have temporary periods of two-a-day practices might need help learning how to adjust their medication to deal with the increase in insulin sensitivity and glucose uptake that results from increased exercise.

Asking open-ended questions about the timing and dosing of medication or asking patients to demonstrate or describe their injection technique also may reveal potential causes of hypoglycemia. Finally, it is important to ask exactly how patients treat low blood glucose.

This question often reveals a tendency to consume more than the recommended 15—20 g of carbohydrate or may uncover a misunderstanding of what types of foods and substances will most quickly raise the blood glucose level.

Table 2 reviews the recommended treatment guidelines for hypoglycemia. Discussing patients' knowledge of food choices, physical activity, and medication can help prevent future hypoglycemia and allow providers to best determine any necessary changes in medication and identify education needs.

Lipohypertrophy is a buildup of fat at the injection site. Injecting insulin into lipohypertrophy usually causes impaired absorption of insulin. However, injecting into sites of lipohypertrophy can result in erratic and unexplained fluctuations in blood glucose.

When advising patients to rotate to new injection sites, HCPs should note the need for caution. Because insulin injected into a fresh site likely will be absorbed more efficiently, doses may need to be decreased. Regular rotation of insulin injection sites may prevent lipohypertrophy from occurring.

Keep in mind that some patients, especially children, may be hesitant to inject in areas other than one with lipohypertrophy because they report that area is less sensitive to injections.

Many alcohol-containing drinks contain carbohydrate and can cause initial hyperglycemia. However, alcohol also inhibits gluconeogenesis, which becomes the main source of endogenous glucose about 8 hours after a meal.

Therefore, there is increased risk of hypoglycemia the morning after significant alcohol intake if there has not been food intake. Alcohol consumption can also interfere with the ability to feel hypoglycemia symptoms. For patients whose blood glucose is well controlled, the ADA guidelines for alcohol intake suggest a maximum of one to two drinks per day, consumed with food.

Close monitoring of blood glucose for the next 10—20 hours may be beneficial. Insulin and sulfonylurea clearance is decreased with impaired hepatic or renal function. Decreasing the dosages of some anti-hyperglycemic medications and avoiding others may be necessary.

Of the oral agents, sulfonylureas are more likely to cause hypoglycemia. Glimepiride may be a safer choice than glyburide or glipizide in elderly patients and those with renal insufficiency because it is completely metabolized by the liver; cytochrome P reduces it to essentially inactive metabolites that are eliminated renally and fecally.

As kidney function declines, exogenous insulin has a longer duration and is more unpredictable in its action, and the contribution of glucose from the kidney through gluconeogensis is reduced. Patients who have had diabetes for many years or who have had poor control are at risk for autonomic neuropathy, including gastroparesis, or slow gastric emptying.

It is thought that delayed food absorption increases the risk of hypoglycemia, although evidence is lacking. Intercurrent gastrointestinal problems such as gastroenteritis or celiac disease can also be causes of altered food absorption. Medications such as metoclopramide or erythromycin are used to increase gastric emptying time.

Giving mealtime insulin after meals or using an extended bolus on an insulin pump may also help to prevent potential hypoglycemia related to delayed gastric emptying. Hypothyroidism slows the absorption of glucose through the gastrointestinal tract, reduces peripheral tissue glucose uptake, and decreases gluconeogenesis.

For people with diabetes, this can cause increased episodes of hypoglycemia. Measuring the level of thyroid-stimulating hormone is the most accurate method of evaluating primary hypothyroidism. As hypothyroidism is treated, an increase in insulin dose will likely be needed to meet the increased metabolic need.

The risk of severe hypoglycemia increases with age. Slowed counter-regulatory hormones, erratic food intake, and slowed intestinal absorption place older adults at higher risk of hypoglycemia.

The incidence of mild and severe hypoglycemia is highest between 8 and 16 weeks' gestation in type 1 diabetes. Severe hypoglycemia in early pregnancy is three times more frequent than during preconception. Providing preconception counseling, including information about a potential increase in hypoglycemia early in pregnancy, may help reduce the incidence of hypoglycemia for women planning to become pregnant.

Intentional insulin overdose is thought to be relatively rare, but the actual prevalence is difficult to measure. A common method used to estimate the number of deliberate insulin overdoses is to analyze data from regional poison control centers.

In the annual report of the American Association of Poison Control Centers, only 3, of the 2,, inquiries 0. Although rare, most cases of insulin overdose reported to poison control centers have occurred during suicide attempts.

HCPs who are unable to identify other reasons for persistent hypoglycemia may not be able to rule out intentional induction of hypoglycemia. Patients who are suspected of intentionally inducing hypoglycemia should be referred to a behaviorist for evaluation and treatment. Individuals with diabetes and, ideally, their care partners who have received diabetes self-management education should have a better understanding of how their medication, meal plan, and physical activity interact to achieve optimal glucose control while limiting hypoglycemia.

They also will be better equipped to prevent and treat hypoglycemia should it occur. HCPs should help individuals who have not had an opportunity to work with a diabetes educator or dietitian to identify educational resources in their area.

Table 3 provides a list of resources for locating local diabetes educators and dietitians. Patients who have not had a recent diabetes education update may benefit from a refresher course.

Hypoglycemia education includes not only appropriate treatment and prevention, but also driving precautions, including performing SMBG before driving and frequently while driving for individuals who are prone to hypoglycemia. People with diabetes also should keep glucose tabs, gel, or other appropriate oral treatment options in their vehicle.

Encouraging individuals to wear a medical identification listing diabetes and any other diagnoses they may have is also important. Using a pattern-management approach for reviewing SMBG data will allow individuals with diabetes and their HCPs to adjust medications to better match food intake and physical activity.

Reviewing SMBG results that include fasting, postprandial, and nocturnal test results will allow HCPs to craft a more physiological medication regimen for patients. SMBG also allows individuals to take appropriate preventive and follow-up actions related to hypoglycemia.

Today, the use of continuous glucose monitoring CGM systems can also help to limit hypoglycemia, especially in those who have frequent episodes with hypoglycemia unawareness and nocturnal hypoglycemia. HCPs may order a diagnostic CGM study to determine whether nocturnal hypoglycemia is occurring and to better identify patterns of hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia around the clock.

An increasing number of individuals with insulin-requiring diabetes are wearing CGM sensors as a part of their routine diabetes management. Blood Glucose Awareness Training should be considered for patients with recurrent, severe hypoglycemia.

Hypoglycemia can be a limiting factor to optimal diabetes control. However, the risk of hypoglycemia can be minimized through adequate diabetes self-management education, SMBG, and individualization of medication regimens employing physiological insulin replacement and appropriate medication management.

Hypoglycemia means low blood sugar. Symptoms include: Some people have frequent and severe hypoglycemia despite medication adjustments. Hypoglycemia can be a limiting factor to optimal diabetes control. Preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses: The PRISMA statement. Directions are included in each kit; a roommate, partner, parent, or friend should learn how to give glucagon before an emergency occurs. Mayo Clinic Proceedings.
Diabetic hypoglycemia McCoy RG, Lipska KJ, Yao X, et al. Google Scholar. What do you do to raise your blood sugar levels? People with diabetes also should keep glucose tabs, gel, or other appropriate oral treatment options in their vehicle. Consistent with these disheartening findings, our research team has consistently found a persistently high prevalence of IAH among CGM users, again dispelling any notion that CGM usage somehow restores awareness of hypoglycemia Lin et al. Patients who have had diabetes for many years or who have had poor control are at risk for autonomic neuropathy, including gastroparesis, or slow gastric emptying. A patient who is unaware of their condition may experience severe and potentially fatal episodes.
ABSTRACT: Hypoglycrmic, which is a Hyplglycemic barrier to the optimal management Hypoglycemic unawareness and medication adjustment diabetes, is associated Electrolyte balance strategies significant morbidity Whole food supplements mortality. Educating patients with diabetes Hypoglycemic unawareness and medication adjustment the prevention, early adjustmnet, and Hypoglucemic treatment of hypoglycemia is a critically important component of individualized diabetes care. Hypoglycemia prevention involves an understanding of the impact of diet, exercise, and medications on hypoglycemia risk. Treatment of hypoglycemia includes administration of oral carbohydrates for the patient who is conscious and administration of glucagon in the setting of severe hypoglycemia. Advances in glucose monitoring and the availability of newer glucagon formulations provide additional intervention options for the management of hypoglycemia.

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