Hypoglycemia: Symptoms, Causes & Treatment

Hypoglycemia is a drop in the blood glucose (sugar) level below the normal limit the body needs, especially the brain, which relies on glucose as a main energy source. Its drop therefore quickly affects body function and consciousness.

Those most prone to low sugar are people with diabetes who take insulin or some sugar-lowering medications, when taking an excess dose, skipping or delaying a meal, exerting more physical effort than usual, or drinking alcohol. Sometimes low sugar occurs for other reasons in non-diabetics, but it is less common.

Hypoglycemia symptoms appear suddenly and include shakiness, sweating, severe hunger, a fast heartbeat, anxiety, dizziness, and difficulty concentrating, and if untreated may worsen to severe confusion, seizures, and loss of consciousness. Because it can be dangerous, the golden treatment rule is the rule of 15: take 15 grams of fast-absorbing sugar (juice, glucose tablets) then re-measure after 15 minutes. Teaching the patient and family to recognize symptoms early and act quickly, and adjusting medication doses with meals, are the keys to prevention, along with the importance of seeing the doctor to adjust the treatment plan when attacks recur.

• Shakiness, sweating, and severe hunger.
• A fast heartbeat and anxiety.
• Dizziness, headache, and difficulty concentrating.
• In severe cases: confusion, seizures, loss of consciousness.

• An excess dose of insulin or some diabetes medications.
• Skipping or delaying a meal or eating too little.
• More physical effort than usual.
• Drinking alcohol, and other less common causes in non-diabetics.

• Measuring blood sugar at the time symptoms appear.
• Assessing the relationship with medications, meals, and effort.
• Additional tests for the cause in non-diabetics.

Conscious attack (rule of 15)

• Take 15 grams of fast sugar (juice or glucose tablets) then re-measure after 15 minutes, repeating if needed.

Severe attack (loss of consciousness)

• A glucagon injection if available, calling emergency services immediately, and not giving food or drink to an unconscious person.

This content is educational and does not replace consulting the doctor to adjust the treatment plan.

• Falls and injuries during an attack.
• Seizures and loss of consciousness in severe cases.
• Danger while driving or operating machinery.

• Adjusting insulin and medication doses with meals and effort.
• Not skipping meals and always carrying fast sugar.
• Regular sugar monitoring and teaching family how to act.
• Seeing the doctor to adjust treatment when attacks recur.