Hypoglycemia: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment
Definition
What is hypoglycemia?
Hypoglycemia is a condition when the body’s blood sugar (glucose) level is low below the normal limit, which is less than 70mg / dL. People with diabetes mellitus indeed more prone to experiencing this condition because of certain treatment for lower levels high blood sugar. However, even healthy people can actually experience this problem.
There are two types of non-diabetic low blood sugar, namely:
- Reactive hypoglycemia, that is, low blood sugar that occurs within a few hours of eating.
- Fasting hypoglycemia, that is, low blood sugar that is not associated with eating. This condition can be affected by the use of certain drugs (salicylates, sulfa or quinine antibiotics), alcohol consumption, severe liver, kidney and heart problems, insulinoma, and low levels of the hormone glucagon.
Hypoglycemia, including health problems that can occur suddenly. If not treated promptly, this condition can worsen and cause serious problems.
On the other hand, prompt and appropriate treatment can help bring low blood sugar levels back to normal limit normal sugar levels.
How common is this condition?
Hypoglycemia is a common condition. Although it is often associated with people who have a history of diabetes, low blood sugar can also be experienced by anyone.
Signs & Symptoms
What are the symptoms of hypoglycemia?
If the blood sugar level is too low, your body will naturally trigger a reaction. Some of the characteristics of low blood sugar or hypoglycemia are:
- Irregular heart rhythm or heart palpitations
- Weak, lethargic and powerless
- Sleepy
- Feeling hungry
- Pale skin
- Lost balance
- Kliyengan
- Restless
- Sweating
- Body shaking
- Tingling sensation around the mouth
- Easy to get angry
- It’s hard to consult
When low blood sugar is not treated quickly and appropriately, the symptoms can get worse. This condition causes the appearance of severe hypoglycemia symptoms.
Signs of worsening low blood sugar include:
- Dazed
- Blurred vision
- Seizures
- Behave like a drunk
- Loss of consciousness
If symptoms of low blood sugar occur repeatedly and persist, this can cause brain damage that can lead to seizures, coma, and even death.
When to go to the doctor
Immediately consult a doctor or even seek emergency medical help when:
- Experiencing one or more of the hypoglycemia symptoms mentioned above but do not have diabetes.
- Have diabetes and hypoglycemia symptoms do not improve even though it has been overcome by eating sweet foods.
- Have diabetes and a history of recurring low blood sugar that causes severe hypoglycemia symptoms such as loss of consciousness.
Cause
What causes hypoglycemia?
Glucose, aka blood sugar, is the main source of energy for the body that comes from food, especially carbohydrates. After the food is digested, glucose will be absorbed into the bloodstream to be distributed to every body cell.
During this process, the pancreas will produce the hormone insulin to help the body’s cells use glucose as fuel.
The natural hormone insulin decreases when blood glucose increases. However, excessive insulin intake can actually cause your blood sugar levels to drop too low, giving rise to symptoms of hypoglycemia.
There are several things that can cause this condition to occur so that blood sugar levels drop dramatically. According to National Institute of Diabetes causes of hypoglycemia, including:
- Side effects of insulin injections
- Irregular eating patterns
- Strenuous exercise
- Medicines that lower blood sugar
- Drinking alcohol excessively
- Certain medical conditions, such as liver and kidney disease, and anorexia nervosa
- Excess insulin production by the pancreas, due to pancreatic tumors, obesity, or eating too many carbohydrates
- Hormonal disorders
- Fasting
Risk Factors
What increases the risk of developing hypoglycemia?
Some things that can increase your risk of developing hypoglycemia are:
- Have a history of diabetes
- Have diabetes medication or insulin therapy
- Taking sulfonylurea drugs (such as glibenclamide, gliclazide, glipizide, glimepiride, tolbutamide) and prandial glucose (such as repaglinide, nateglinide)
- Obesity or being overweight
- Excessive alcohol consumption
Complications
What are the possible complications of hypoglycemia?
Untreated hypoglycemia can lead to:
- Seizures
- Loss of consciousness
- Dead
Other consequences because blood sugar levels are too low can also make you have accidents, such as:
- Fell
- Injury
- An accident while driving
You may also experience a condition called diabetic coma due to extreme hypoglycemia. Glucose is the only food for your brain. If the blood sugar level is too low, the brain becomes deprived of the energy to carry out its functions properly. This condition is an emergency condition that requires immediate treatment.
It is very important to understand the symptoms of hypoglycemia that appear so that you avoid life-threatening complications. Seek medical help immediately if you begin to feel the above signs.
Prompt treatment for hypoglycemia can lower your risk of serious complications.
Diagnosis
How to diagnose this condition?
The main way to check if you are hypoglycemic is to check your blood sugar independently using a blood sugar measuring device. You can buy this tool at a pharmacy and use it yourself at home.
Normally, fasting blood sugar (GDP) levels are below 108 mg / dl and blood sugar 2 hours after eating is below 140 mg / dl. Meanwhile, the sugar level is said to be low if it shows a number below 70 mg / dl during the examination.
It is important to record the date, time, test results, medication and dosage, food consumption information and exercise each time you have a blood check. In addition, always pay attention to the symptoms of low blood sugar that you are experiencing.
Make sure that you understand how to use the tool and how to take the correct blood sample. We recommend that you consult your doctor first for how to use the correct blood sugar check tool.
For a medical examination, your doctor may order further blood tests to determine the cause of your low blood sugar as well as check the function of your liver, kidneys and pancreas.
Treatment
The information provided is not a substitute for medical advice. ALWAYS consult your doctor.
How to treat hypoglycemia?
If you or someone closest to you has a symptom of low blood sugar, immediately check your blood sugar level with a blood glucose meter.
For the treatment of hypoglycemia afterwards, immediately consume foods or drinks that contain sugar to raise blood sugar levels, such as:
- Warm sweet tea
- Candy
- Fruit juices contain sugar
In addition, you are also advised to eat food with the glycemic index high enough, such as white bread, white rice, or cereal. Usually the symptoms will subside after 10-20 minutes. Avoid eating fatty foods because they can inhibit sugar absorption.
Check your blood sugar levels within 15 minutes after that. If it’s still below 70mg / dL, repeat eating carbohydrate foods as above.
After your blood sugar level is above 70 mg / dL, you can eat snacks that contain carbohydrates and protein, such as peanut biscuits.
Don’t forget to consult your doctor for a more specific treatment for hypoglycemia according to your health condition.
Raise blood sugar with glucose tablets
Another way to deal with low blood sugar, namely with the help of glucose tablets. Take glucose tablets as recommended as provided. One glucose tablet usually contains about 15-20 grams of carbohydrates.
After consuming it, wait for about 15 minutes after eating and drinking then continue by checking your blood sugar levels again.
If the sugar level is below 70 g / dL and you experience a decrease in consciousness, you should be taken immediately to the nearest health facility for emergency hypoglycemia treatment.
Remember, hypoglycemia is a condition that needs to be treated quickly and appropriately. This is done to reduce the possibility of complications such as seizures, loss of consciousness and even death.
Prevention
How can you prevent hypoglycemia?
One way to prevent hypoglycemia is to control blood sugar levels to remain within normal limits. Some of the things that can be done include:
- Don’t skip or delay meals. Eat regularly according to the schedule for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
- If you are taking insulin or oral diabetes medications, take them at the dosage and time recommended by your doctor.
- Routinely check blood sugar. This is important to do to ensure that your blood sugar is within the normal range.
- To prevent low blood sugar levels at night, salways regularly check blood sugar levels before bed.
- Recognize signs and symptoms when your glucose is low.
- Avoid foods that are rich in sugar as they can increase your blood sugar levels quickly but can also cause a rapid drop in blood sugar in people with reactive hypoglycemia.
- Avoid drinking alcohol to excess, especially on an empty stomach. Alcohol can affect the body’s ability to release glucose.
- If you don’t have diabetes and have recurring episodes of hypoglycemia, try eating small but frequent meals every day to help prevent your blood sugar levels from dropping too low.
If you have other questions about low blood sugar conditions, consult your doctor. The doctor will explain in detail and provide the best solution according to your health condition.
Hello Health Group does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
