Overview, Causes, & Risk Factors
Hypoglycemia,
means that the blood glucose level is too low to be in a healthy range. Drug-
induced means that this low blood glucose level has been caused by
drugs or medicines.
What is going on in the body?
Hypoglycemia
is a harmful condition that, if left untreated, can cause coma
or even death in severe cases. Most of the time, the levels of glucose in the
blood are well controlled by the body. Certain kinds of medicine, however,
may cause a level of blood glucose that is lower than a healthy range.
What are the causes and risks of the condition?
Hypoglycemia due to medicines is most often seen in a
person with diabetes.
The person is often taking medicines, such as insulin shots, to keep the
blood glucose from getting too high. A person's blood glucose may get
too low because:
too much medicine was taken
nothing was eaten after taking the medicine
the person exercised longer or harder than usual
Other substances can also cause hypoglycemia in some
people, including:
alcohol
certain nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medicines, called NSAIDs
certain antibiotics
Symptoms & Signs
What are the signs and symptoms of the condition?
Hypoglycemia can cause any of these symptoms:
anxiety
coma
confusion
dizziness
excessive hunger
excessive sweating
fainting
fatigue
a feeling that the heart is racing or beating very fast
trembling
weakness
Diagnosis & Tests
How is the condition diagnosed?
A blood glucose test
can be done to measure the level of glucose in the blood and confirm the
diagnosis. Hypoglycemia is caused by many factors, and drug-induced
hypoglycemia is only one type.
Prevention & Expectations
What can be done to prevent the condition?
Although these reactions often cannot be prevented, one
should always take medicines as prescribed by the doctor. A person with
diabetes can watch his or her blood glucose at home.
Medicine can be changed by the doctor if a person notices that his or
her blood glucose levels have been on the low side. Sometimes, this
change can be made before a severe episode of hypoglycemia occurs.
What are the long-term effects of the condition?
It is now thought that repeated or long episodes of
hypoglycemia can cause permanent, mild brain damage. Severe
hypoglycemia, if left untreated, can lead to a coma
or death.
Treatment & Monitoring
What are the treatments for the condition?
Glucose is given to treat this condition. It may be given:
through food and liquids with a high sugar content
intravenously, that is, through a needle in the vein
A person with diabetes
may need to have his or her medicine changed if hypoglycemia
continues. Others may need to stop taking certain medicines completely
or take a lower dose. Stopping the medicine often reverses the condition.
What are the side effects of the treatments?
A change in the type or dose of medicine may cause a
return or worsening of the condition that medicine was meant to treat.
What happens after treatment for the condition?
A person with drug-induced hypoglycemia most often
recovers quickly once the problem has been named and corrected.
How is the condition monitored?
A person with this condition can watch for symptoms and report
them to the doctor. Someone with diabetes
should ask the doctor about home glucose monitoring.