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Hypoglycemia
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low
level of blood sugar (glucose)
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Diseases & Conditions
A-Z |
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Hypoglycemia is a condition caused by an
abnormally low level of blood sugar (glucose), your
body's main energy source.
However, a wide variety of health
conditions, many of them rare, can cause low blood
sugar in people without diabetes. Like
fever,
hypoglycemia is merely an indicator of a health
problem.
Among the underlying causes of hypoglycemia in
people without diabetes are certain medications,
alcohol, certain cancers, critical illnesses
including kidney, liver or
heart failure, hormonal
deficiencies, and disorders that result in your body
producing too much insulin. Insulin is the hormone
secreted by your pancreas that regulates your level
of blood sugar.
When
to seek medical advice
If you have what appear to be symptoms of hypoglycemia,
see your doctor. Hypoglycemia can be an indication of any number of
illnesses; some of them are potentially serious. By seeing your doctor,
you can begin the process of having the underlying illness identified
and treated.
Screening and diagnosis
To diagnose hypoglycemia, your doctor will use an
approach called Whipple's triad, after the American surgeon Allen
Whipple. Whipple's triad includes the following factors:
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Signs and symptoms of hypoglycemia. You may not exhibit signs and
symptoms of hypoglycemia during your initial visit with your doctor.
In this case, your doctor may have you fast overnight in order for
hypoglycemic symptoms to occur and so that your doctor can make a
diagnosis. It's also possible that you'll need to undergo an
extended fast in a hospital setting. Or, if your symptoms occur
after a meal, your doctor will want to test your glucose levels
after a meal.
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Documentation of a low blood glucose level at the time the signs and
symptoms occur. Your doctor will draw a sample of your blood to be
analyzed in the laboratory.
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Disappearance of the signs and symptoms when blood glucose levels
are raised.
You'll likely need a physical examination and a review of
your medical history with your doctor. He or she will want to determine
what medications you use, whether you drink alcohol excessively and
whether you have a critical illness. This will help your doctor confirm
whether you have hypoglycemia and determine the likely cause.
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