Understanding Hypoglycemia: Diabetes
Content provided by the Faculty of the Harvard Medical School
Understanding hypoglycemia
Anyone who takes insulin or other glucose-lowering medications, either alone or in combination with other antidiabetic drugs, is prone to hypoglycemia. Hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar, is less common among people with type 2 diabetes than among those with type 1, but it can be serious when it occurs. Blood sugar may fall abnormally low from too much insulin, too much exercise, too little food or carbohydrates, a missed or delayed meal, or a combination of these factors. As you pursue near-normal blood sugar control more aggressively, your risk for hypoglycemia increases.
It's important that people with diabetes, and those who live and work with them, learn to recognize and understand hypoglycemia so it can be prevented and treated before it becomes a life-threatening crisis (see "Severe hypoglycemia").
Symptoms of Hypoglycemia
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| Last updated: | January 23, 2007 |
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Medical content reviewed by the Faculty of the Harvard Medical School. Harvard Health Publications, Copyright © 2007 by President and Fellows of Harvard College. All rights reserved. Used with permission of StayWell.
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