Hypoglycemia Pearls
Muhammad Usman Naeem, Abdul Ghani MD
Symptoms of hypoglycemia.
- Dizziness
- Palpitation
- Sweating
If hypoglycemia is not recognized and treated, patients can lapse into a coma. The symptoms
depend on the level of blood glucose and the extent of the drop. For instance, a drop in blood
glucose from 120 to 70 mg/dL may present fewer symptoms than a drop from 170 to 90 mg/dL,
even though 90 mg/dL is still higher than 70 mg/dL.
An elderly patient who has been diabetic for many years may not experience palpitations, but he
could be confused. This is particularly dangerous if they are behind the wheel.
Hypoglycemia was once viewed with doubt in certain situations, but now, with continuous blood
glucose monitoring (CGM), hypoglycemia is not as big of a threat.
Driving the automobile
If a diabetic driver experiences a drop in blood glucose levels and the situation is recognized and treated, they may become alert and oriented again. However, they could still face challenges with depth perception while driving. For example, they might not accurately judge the distance between their car and the vehicles in front of or behind them, which could potentially lead to an accident. The effects of impaired perception can last for up to 7 hours. Unfortunately, no one has time to wait that long. With CGM, hypoglycemia attacks can be prevented.Hypoglycemia always occurs for a reason.
- High temperatures: In hot weather, insulin is absorbed by tissues more quickly and becomes more potent, causing hypoglycemia. Some elderly patients unintentionally jack up the thermostat in winter, causing insulin to diffuse through tissues faster and resulting in hypoglycemia.
- A diabetic patient is having a steak dinner. He decides not to eat bread so that he can enjoy more meat. Meat won’t convert to sugar quickly, so he will have low blood sugar that night.
- Unexpected work can also lead to hypoglycemia, which is often caused by reduced food intake, excessive physical exertion, or an error in insulin dosage. With a prefilled insulin pen, patients set the dosage precisely, reducing the chance of mistakes. If you experience low blood sugar, take some glucose tablets. Each tablet contains 5 grams of glucose, equating to 20 calories.
- Alcohol prevents the conversion of glucagon into glucose. If a patient has low glucose levels and has been drinking, treating low glucose may be less effective, as alcohol slows down recovery from hypoglycemia. Alcohol also disrupts the decision-making process, impacting executive function. High alcohol consumption makes it difficult to predict your actions and their consequences.
- Metformin and alcohol can cause hypoglycemia in patients with bad liver function. Glipizide and glimepiride can also cause hypoglycemia by increasing insulin levels. These drugs are still being prescribed.
Citation list
Download Here…
Other Articles
Previous
April 25, 2025
Diabetes for Common People (Part 1)
