Hypoglycemia

Hypoglycemia is a medical term referring to a pathologic state produced by a lower than normal amount of sugar in the blood. The term hypoglycemia literally means "under-sweet blood". Hypoglycemia can produce a variety of symptoms and effects but the principal problems arise from an inadequate supply of glucose as fuel to the brain, resulting in impairment of function. Derangements of function can range from vaguely "feeling bad" to coma, and permanent brain damage or death. Hypoglycemia can arise from many causes and can occur at any age. The most common forms of moderate and severe hypoglycemia occur as a complication of treatment of diabetes mellitus with insulin or oral medications. Hypoglycemia is usually treated by the ingestion or administration of glucose, or foods digestible to glucose.

Management of hypoglycemia involves immediately raising the blood sugar to normal, determining the cause, and taking measures to prevent future episodes.  The blood glucose can be raised to normal within minutes by taking 10-20 grams of carbohydrate. It can be taken as food or drink if the person is conscious and able to swallow. This amount of carbohydrate is contained in about 3-4 ounces of orange, apple, or grape juice, about 4-5 ounces of regular soda, about one slice of bread, about 4 crackers, or about 1 serving of most starchy foods. Starch is quickly digested to glucose, but adding fat or protein retards digestion. Symptoms should begin to improve within 5 minutes, though full recovery may take 10-20 minutes. Overfeeding does not speed recovery and if the person has diabetes will simply produce hyperglycemia afterwards.

If a person is suffering such severe effects of hypoglycemia that they cannot or should not be given anything by mouth, glucose can be given by intravenous infusion or the glucose can be rapidly raised by an injection of glucagon. Further details of glucagon use are provided in the article on diabetic hypoglycemia.

...More at Wikipedia

Related Links:

• US National Library of Medicine
• Mayo Clinic

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