Hypoglycemia

Hypoglycemia – General Information

The medical condition commonly referred to as Hypoglycemia is in fact a widely spread syndrome. If a patient is diagnosed with this disorder then he or she has abnormally low blood sugar levels. While individuals who are not suffering from any type of metabolic medical disorders can experience some of the symptoms that are widely associated with this medical condition (Hypoglycemia), in general, only patients who have received a therapy for diabetes present this medical disorder. This syndrome is noticed in both type 2 and type 1 diabetes. This medical condition can also be caused by other factors. However, such clinical cases are quite rare. For example, a patient who suffers from an insulinoma (also known as an insulin producing tumor) will present abnormally low blood sugar levels. Furthermore, studies have shown that a prolonged therapy with some types of medicines can also lead to the appearance of this syndrome. The individual’s blood sugar is a true fuel resource that is needed for the daily (routine) activities. Even the simplest action demands the consumption of a certain amount of sugar. In emergency cases the organism’s liver will host glycogen (a stash of sugar). If additional sugar is needed to perform a certain activity, a bio-chemical process known as glycogenolysis occurs. Furthermore, it is a well known fact that all the organs in the human organism rely on sugar in order to accurately function. Among them, the brain occupies a very important place as it depends only on sugar (also widely referred to as / called glucose). In extreme cases (when the organism’s glucose reservoirs are empty) the brain may use ketones as an alternative energy source, but this process is not beneficial for the individual.

Hypoglycemia – Symptoms

The human organism’s bio-chemical response to abnormally low blood sugar levels (the main symptom of Hypoglycemia) is known to generally start when the individual’s sugar levels become 60’s. In this case, the liver starts to gradually release its stores (the glycogen) and some hormonal processes are activated. In most patients, these processes occur without triggering any unpleasant signs. However, when the organism finds it impossible to correct the abnormally low blood sugar levels the patient will start to experience a set of signs and / or symptoms that are widely associated with this medical condition (Hypoglycemia). Most patients start to develop these symptoms when their sugar levels drop to 50’s. The first type of signs that are experienced at this point is the neuro-genic type (also widely called the sympathetic type). They are the response of the organism’s nervous system to the lack of an appropriate level of blood sugar. They are known to generally include: difficulties speaking, palpitations, weakness, trembling, intense hunger, sweating, nervousness, and so on. In most clinical cases, the symptoms and signs of this syndrome can easily be recognized. Most individuals who are suffering from diabetes will only experience this medical condition if their intake of insulin is not supervised by an authorized health care provider. Another cause of this clinical syndrome is the drastic decrease of their intake of carbohydrates.
Almost all individuals who were diagnosed with Hypoglycemia complained of a feeling of urgency to eat; this is due to the fact that the symptoms of this syndrome are actually warning signs as the brain alerts the patient that an additional intake of glucose is needed.

Hypoglycemia – Treatment

The immediate and adequate therapy for a seizure of Hypoglycemia includes the fast delivery of a reliable source of glucose to the organism. A reliable source of sugar ought to be easily absorbed by the organism. The most popular sources of glucose are juice, regular soda, table sugar, lifesavers, and so on. Most patients who present an episode of low blood sugar levels ought to be administered 10 - 15 grams of glucose as soon as possible. The consumption of sugar ought to be followed by a blood glucose check up. The symptoms that are caused by this medical condition (Hypoglycemia) must also be dealt with as soon as possible. If the patient’s condition does not improve at all 10 minutes after the intake of sugar, another dose ought to be given (10 - 15 grams of glucose). However, all patients ought to be aware of the fact that this therapy option must not be repeated for more than 3 times per seizure. If the individual’s clinical conditions still shows no improvement he or she must be immediately transported to the nearest medical setting as they are in need of emergency professional medical care. A dose of glucose (that consists in 10-15 grams of this substance) is known to be the equivalent of 10 lifesavers, ½ cans of juice or soda, 4 teaspoons of table sugar.

Most patients prefer to treat their episodes of Hypoglycemia with brownies, cookies, cakes or other sweets. However, physicians have stated that this therapy option is not a reliable one (especially for patients who are suffering from severely low blood sugar levels) as this form of glucose cannot be easily absorbed by the human organism (because the sugar is combined with proteins and fats). Once the severe crisis of Hypoglycemia is over, the patient ought to see his or her personal physician as soon as possible in order to establish a healthy diet that contain enough carbohydrates (in order to avoid experiencing such an episode in the future). If the patient who presents a severe form of Hypoglycemia will not or cannot take the necessary dose of glucose by mouth (orally) he ought to be treated with glucagon. It is very important for each diabetic patient to be accompanied at all times by a person who is familiar with the proper use of glucagon. This substance is able to trigger a fast release of the organism’s deposits of glucose (the liver’s glycogen). Such a patient must be immediately given an intra-muscular injection with glucagon. This medical procedure ought to provide an effective response in a few minutes. The beneficial effects of the injection are known to last for about one hour and a half. This is why the patient must be taken to the nearest hospital as he or she will have to be kept under medical supervision.