| Abstract: |
This article helps readers newly diagnosed with diabetes to understand hypoglycemia, the condition of low blood glucose levels. The author reviews the causes, symptoms, treatment, and prevention of hypoglycemia, focusing on practical approaches to everyday activities and diabetes care. Blood glucose levels can drop too low when a person with diabetes exercises longer or harder than usual, eats too little, delays a meal, eats too few carbohydrates, mistakenly takes too much insulin, or drinks alcohol on an empty stomach. Combinations of insulin, sulfonylureas, or meglitinides with other diabetes pills and injectable drugs carry a risk of hypoglycemia. Symptoms of hypoglycemia can include nervousness, shakiness, hunger, lightheadedness, sweating, irritability, impatience, chills, sleepiness, nausea, and confusion or other unusual behavior. The author briefly describes hypoglycemia unawareness, which can happen in a person who experiences repeated episodes of hypoglycemia. This occurs more often in people who practice tight diabetes control. Readers are encouraged to test their blood glucose levels as soon as they feel the symptoms of a potential episode of hypoglycemia. To counter mild-to-moderate hypoglycemia, patients should eat or drink something containing 15 grams of carbohydrate, wait 15 minutes, and test their blood glucose again. This pattern can be repeated if needed. The article concludes with a list of suggestions that can help prevent hypoglycemia. 1 figure. |