What is hypoglycemia caused by

These symptoms tell you that you your blood sugar is low and you need to take action to bring it back into a safe range. But, many people have blood sugar readings below this level and feel no symptoms. This is called hypoglycemia unawareness. Hypoglycemia unawareness puts the person at increased risk for severe low blood sugar reactions when they need someone to help them recover.

People with hypoglycemia unawareness are also less likely to be awakened from sleep when hypoglycemia occurs at night. People with hypoglycemia unawareness need to take extra care to check blood sugar frequently. This is especially important prior to and during critical tasks such as driving. A continuous glucose monitor CGM can sound an alarm when blood sugar levels are low or start to fall.

This can be a big help for people with hypoglycemia unawareness. Hypoglycemia unawareness occurs more frequently in those who:. If you think you have hypoglycemia unawareness, speak with your health care provider. This helps your body re-learn how to react to low blood sugar levels. This may mean increasing your target blood sugar level a new target that needs to be worked out with your diabetes care team. It may even result in a higher A1C level, but regaining the ability to feel symptoms of lows is worth the temporary rise in blood sugar levels.

This can happen when your blood sugar levels are very high and start to go down quickly. If this is happening, discuss treatment with your diabetes care team. Your best bet is to practice good diabetes management and learn to detect hypoglycemia so you can treat it early—before it gets worse. Monitoring blood sugar, with either a meter or a CGM, is the tried and true method for preventing hypoglycemia.

Studies consistently show that the more a person checks blood sugar, the lower his or her risk of hypoglycemia. This is because you can see when blood sugar levels are dropping and can treat it before it gets too low. If you can, check often! Together, you can review all your data to figure out the cause of the lows. The more information you can give your health care provider, the better they can work with you to understand what's causing the lows.

Your provider may be able to help prevent low blood sugar by adjusting the timing of insulin dosing, exercise and meals or snacks. Changing insulin doses or the types of food you eat may also do the trick.

If you're new to type 2 diabetes, join our free Living With Type 2 Diabetes program to get help and support during your first year. Log in menu Manage Account Search. Blood sugar is also known as glucose. Glucose comes from food and serves as an important energy source for the body.

A hormone called insulin, which is made in the pancreas, helps your cells use glucose for energy. Without enough glucose, your body cannot perform its normal functions. However, for those on these specific medications, a short-term reduction in blood sugar can cause a lot of problems.

Immediate treatment for low blood sugar levels is important to prevent more serious symptoms from developing. People with hypoglycemic unawareness do not know their blood sugar is dropping. If you have this condition, your blood sugar can drop without you noticing it. Without immediate treatment, you can faint, experience a seizure, or even go into a coma.

Very low blood sugar is a medical emergency. People who are at risk for low blood sugar should talk with their doctor about getting a prescription for glucagon. You should never give an unconscious person anything by mouth, as it could cause them to choke. Low blood sugar can occur for a number of reasons.

Think of insulin as the key that unlocks your cells, letting glucose in for energy. People with diabetes use a variety of treatments to help their bodies use the glucose in their blood. Among these are oral medications that increase insulin production and insulin injections. If you take too much of these types of medications, your blood sugar may drop too low.

People also sometimes experience low blood sugar when planning to eat a big meal, but then they do not eat enough. Skipping meals, eating less than normal, or eating later than normal but taking your medication at your normal time can also lead to low blood sugar levels.

Unplanned excess physical activity without eating enough can also cause a drop in blood sugar levels. When the body is trying to get rid of alcohol it becomes worse at managing blood sugar levels. Some other causes of low blood sugar include:. If you experience low blood sugar often — say, a few times a week — see your doctor right away to determine why. They will perform a physical examination. Glucagon kits are easy to use, and family members can be trained to administer the glucagon.

Insulinomas Insulinoma An insulinoma is a rare type of tumor of the pancreas that secretes insulin, a hormone that lowers the levels of sugar glucose in the blood. However, because these tumors are small and difficult to locate, a specialist should do the surgery. Before surgery, the person may be given a drug such as octreotide or diazoxide to control symptoms. Sometimes more than one tumor is present, and if the surgeon does not find them all, a second operation may be necessary.

People who do not have diabetes but are prone to hypoglycemia often can avoid episodes by eating frequent small meals rather than the usual three meals a day. Limiting intake of carbohydrates, especially simple sugars, is sometimes advocated to prevent hypoglycemia that occurs after a meal called reactive hypoglycemia.

Alpha-glucosidase inhibitors, such as acarbose , which slow the absorption of carbohydrates, have also been used successfully in people with reactive hypoglycemia and post-bariatric surgery hypoglycemia. Merck and Co. From developing new therapies that treat and prevent disease to helping people in need, we are committed to improving health and well-being around the world. The Manual was first published in as a service to the community.

Learn more about our commitment to Global Medical Knowledge. This site complies with the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information: verify here. Common Health Topics.

Drugs Fasting hypoglycemia Reaction to eating. Immediate treatment of hypoglycemia Treatment of the cause of hypoglycemia. Test your knowledge. Hypoglycemia is an abnormally low level of sugar glucose in the blood.

People with which of the following conditions are most likely to develop hypoglycemia? More Content. Click here for the Professional Version.

Adrenal glands to release cortisol. Pancreas to release glucagon. Drugs Most cases of hypoglycemia occur in people with diabetes and are caused by insulin or other drugs especially, sulfonylureas, see Drug Treatment of Diabetes Mellitus: Oral Antihyperglycemic Drugs Oral Antihyperglycemic Drugs Many people with diabetes require drugs to lower blood glucose levels, relieve symptoms, and prevent complications of diabetes.

Mild hypoglycemia: Sweating, nervousness, shaking, faintness, palpitations, and hunger. Did You Know? Sometimes people who are hypoglycemic are mistakenly thought to be drunk. Blood tests to measure glucose level.

Tell family and friends what symptoms to look for and what to do if you're not able to treat the condition yourself. If diabetic hypoglycemia occurs when you're sleeping, signs and symptoms that may awaken you include:. If diabetic hypoglycemia isn't treated, signs and symptoms of severe hypoglycemia can occur. These include:. Symptoms can differ from person to person or from episode to episode.

Some people don't have any noticeable symptoms. It's also possible you won't have any symptoms of hypoglycemia, so it's important to monitor your blood sugar levels regularly and keep track of how you're feeling when your blood sugar is low. Severe hypoglycemia can lead to serious problems, including seizures or unconsciousness, that require emergency care. Make sure your family, friends and co-workers know what to do in an emergency.

If you have symptoms of hypoglycemia several times a week or more, see your doctor. You may need to change your medication dosage or timing, or otherwise adjust your diabetes treatment regimen. Low blood sugar is most common among people who take insulin, but it can also occur if you're taking certain oral diabetes medications.