Hypoglycemia
- Type 1 or type 2 diabetes
- Blood glucose < 50-60 mg/dL
- Causes
- Too much insulin
- Overdose of oral antidiabetic agents
- Too little food
- Excess physical activity
- May experience S & S of hypoglycemia if there is sudden decrease in BS
For example, patients who usually have a blood glucose level in the hyperglycemic
range (eg, 200 mg/dL or greater) may feel hypoglycemic (adrenergic) symptoms
when their blood glucose falls rapidly to 120 mg/dL (6.6 mmol/L) or less.
Conversely, patients who frequently have a glucose level in the low range of
normal (eg, 80 to 100 mg/dL) may be asymptomatic when the blood glucose falls
slowly to less than 50 mg/dL.