Hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar, can be caused by skipping meals, diabetes, medication, and other conditions. Symptoms include hunger, nausea, and shaking, but can progress to seizures or coma. Treatment depends on the cause, but in an emergency, sugary foods or drinks can help. Infants and the elderly are more vulnerable to hypoglycemia. If a person becomes confused, faints, or has seizures, it is important to contact 911.
Low blood sugar, or low blood glucose, medically speaking, is called hypoglycemia and refers to low blood glucose levels. Glucose is “sugar” which in this case is low, and when it falls below 70 mg per deciliter of blood, a person is hypoglycemic. People may also use the term hypoglycemia much more casually to express hunger, or feelings of lightheadedness or irritation that occur when skipping meals. Some people will feel a little nauseous if they don’t eat regularly and may attribute this to abnormally low blood sugar even if they are not technically hypoglycemic.
True hypoglycemia has numerous causes. People most commonly prone to hypoglycemia are those with diabetes, whose bodies don’t make enough or can’t properly use the hormone insulin, which allows glucose to be used for energy by cells. Diabetics need to monitor their blood sugar levels regularly to make sure they have the right balance of insulin and glucagon, which produces glucose. Low blood sugar could be the result of skipping meals or accidentally injecting too much insulin. Other conditions that could cause low glucose levels include absence of human growth hormone, certain antibiotics or other medications, liver failure or liver failure, extreme food poisoning or stomach flu, and some infections.
For most people with mild hypoglycemia, symptoms might include hunger, mild nausea, slight shaking, or clammy skin. Some people may have a fast heartbeat. If the condition isn’t corrected, it can become much more serious. People may pass out, act confused, get terrible headaches, and some people will have seizures or may go into a coma. It should be noted that signs of hypoglycemia are usually evident long before it causes coma or death.
Treatment for hypoglycemia really depends on the cause. Diabetics may need to have their blood sugar monitored regularly, and if it gets low, they may have injectable forms of the drug glucagon to correct it. In an emergency setting where a person is a known diabetic, the best treatment is to give orange juice, candy, table sugar dissolved in water, or things like icing for cakes. If hypoglycemia is causing these symptoms, the affected person usually responds within minutes. However, as this can be dangerous quickly, it is best to call 911 and get treatment advice before doing anything.
It’s important to tell doctors about medical conditions that have been preventing you from eating for a day or more, such as food poisoning or stomach flu. Under these conditions, infants and the elderly, even without diabetes, are more vulnerable to developing hypoglycemia and other imbalances. Other treatments for low blood sugar usually revolve around the cause. For example, children who lack human growth hormone tend to get growth hormone injections to keep their blood sugar balanced and promote normal growth.
In any circumstance where a person becomes confused, faints, or has seizures, the best way to get treatment is to contact 911. These can be symptoms of many different diseases, and low blood sugar isn’t always the cause. People should not make assumptions about the possible causes of these symptoms unless they have knowledge of another person’s medical history.
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