Hypoglycemia occurs when blood sugar levels drop too low, often in diabetic patients or due to certain medications, illnesses, or skipping meals. Symptoms include weakness, dizziness, and sweating, and treatment depends on the underlying cause.
Hypoglycemia, also called hypoglycemia, is a condition that occurs when the body’s blood sugar level drops too low to provide the energy the body needs. Normal blood sugar levels should range between 70 and 110. Levels below 70, indicating hypoglycemia, can occur in patients with diabetes or as a result of certain medications, certain illnesses, binge drinking, and sometimes skipping meals. Except in the case of diabetes and binge drinking, this condition is usually not life-threatening.
Under normal health conditions, the glucose required by the body for energy comes from the food people eat, carried through the bloodstream and absorbed by blood cells. Insulin is a hormone that is naturally produced in the body and helps in the distribution and absorption of glucose. Excess glucose is stored in the liver as glycogen. As the glucose level in the body begins to drop, the stored glycogen is broken down by the body and released into the blood. Hypoglycemia occurs when the body is unable to restore the glucose level.
Hypoglycemia in diabetic patients can occur for a variety of reasons, but the most common cause is poor management of the disease. If the drug given to a diabetic to regulate blood sugar is taken in excessive doses or if a meal is too small or skipped altogether, low blood sugar can occur. A sudden increase in activity or prolonged exercise can also cause hypoglycemia in diabetic patients. Proper nutrition or medication adjustment usually resolves this condition.
In nondiabetic individuals, hypoglycemia is classified as reactive or fasting. Reactive hypoglycemia occurs within hours of eating a meal. Healthcare professionals can diagnose it with a blood test, but it’s not clear what causes reactive hypoglycemia in most patients, although it may be linked to enzyme or hormone deficiencies. Most medical professionals recommend exercise in combination with changes in diet and eating habits to manage this condition.
Fasting hypoglycemia occurs after waking up or between meals. Common causes of this condition are excessive alcohol consumption, certain medications, hormone deficiencies, and underlying diseases. To diagnose fasting hypoglycemia, a doctor will take a blood glucose test after 12 hours of fasting.
The correct treatment for hypoglycemia usually depends on the underlying cause. If it’s the result of a drug, a health care provider will likely change or stop the patient’s drug. He or she will be able to determine the underlying cause of fasting hypoglycemia through blood tests and a thorough medical history.
Symptoms of hypoglycemia include weakness, dizziness, sweating, dizziness, and possibly loss of consciousness. Patients managing diabetes who have had low blood sugar should talk to their doctor about keeping an emergency glucagon kit and should also bring a carbohydrate-rich emergency snack to help raise the sugar level in the blood. People who have experienced hypoglycemia in the past should eat meals at regular intervals, avoid excess alcohol, and never drink alcohol on an empty stomach.
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