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Hypoglycemia - Overview

Alternative Names

Insulin shock; Low blood sugar

Definition of Hypoglycemia:

Hypoglycemia is a condition that occurs when your blood sugar (glucose) is too low.

Causes, incidence, and risk factors:

Hypoglycemia occurs when:

  • Your body's sugar (glucose) is used up too quickly
  • Glucose is released into the bloodstream too slowly
  • Too much insulin is released into the bloodstream

Insulin is a hormone that reduces blood glucose. It is produced by the pancreas in response to increased glucose levels in the blood.

Hypoglycemia is relatively common in persons with diabetes. It occurs when:

  • You take too much insulin or diabetes medicine
  • You don't eat enough food
  • You suddenly increase your exercise without increasing the amount of food you eat

Relative hypoglycemia is a fairly common condition in which a newborn's blood glucose is low. Babies born to mothers with diabetes may have severe hypoglycemia.

Severe hypoglycemia that results in unconsciousness is also called insulin shock.

Idiopathic hypoglycemia is hypoglycemia that occurs without a known cause. People with this type of hypoglycemia do not have diabetes.

Hypoglycemia may also be caused by:

The condition affects approximately 1 out of every 1,000 people.

  • Reviewed last on: 6/17/2008
  • Elizabeth H. Holt, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor of Medicine, Section of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Yale University. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

References

Cryer PE, Davis SN, Shamoon H. Hypoglycemia in diabetes. Diabetes Care. 2003; 26(6): 1902-1912.

Cryer PE. Glucose Homeostasis and Hypoglycemia. In: Kronenberg HM, Melmed S, Polonsky KS, Larsen PR. Kronenberg: Williams Textbook of Endocrinology. 11th ed. Philadelphia, Pa:Saunders Elsevier; 2008:chap 33.

The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. © 1997- A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.
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