Hypoglycemia Symptoms, The Causes And All The Available Treatments

A Hypoglycemia happens to be a condition that is caused by low blood glucose (blood sugar) levels. A glucose is the main method your body gets energy. Sometimes this condition is most common in people with diabetes who have problems with medicine, food, or exercise. However, some people who don’t have diabetes can also get low blood glucose. 

THE SYMPTOMS

Sometimes, the people with mild hypoglycemia may experience the following early symptoms:

  • Shaking
  • Hunger
  • Sweating
  • Tremor or trembling
  • A pale face
  • Rapid or irregular heart rate
  • Heart palpitations
  • Dizziness and weakness
  • Confusion
  • Blurred vision

A Severe Hypoglycemia May Involve

  • An irritability and nervousness
  • Weakness and tiredness
  • A poor concentration
  • Confusion
  • An irrational or argumentative behavior and personality changes
  • Coordination problems
  • Tingling in the mouth.

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THE CAUSES

Sometimes hypoglycemia can occur for various reasons. Below are some of them:

  • By some medications: by taking quinine, a drug that prevents malaria, can trigger hypoglycemia. A higher doses of salicylates, used to treat rheumatic disease, or propranolol for hypertension (high blood pressure) can also cause blood sugar levels to drop. Sometimes it can also happen when a person takes diabetes medication without having diabetes.
  • Consuming alcohol: by drinking a very large amounts of alcohol can cause the liver to stop releasing stored glucose into the bloodstream.
  • Having liver diseases: a drug-induced hepatitis can lead to hypoglycemia, because this affects the liver.
  • Having kidney disorders: a lot of people with a kidney disorder may have issues excreting medications, which can result in low blood sugar levels.
  • By eating less food: a lot of people with eating disorders, such as anorexia nervosa, may also experience dramatic falls in their blood sugar levels. By fasting or missing a meal might lead to low blood sugar levels.
  • An increased activity: by increasing the levels of physical activity can lower blood sugar levels for some time.
  • An endocrine problems: Sometime disorders of the adrenal and pituitary glands can lead to hypoglycemia. Though this may be more common in children than adults.
  • A severe illness: most diseases, such as cancer, can actually affect many different organs, which includes the pancreas, leading to hypoglycemia.

THE TREATMENT

The Treatment Of Hypoglycemia Involves

  • An immediate initial treatment to raise your blood sugar level
  • A treatment of the underlying condition which is causing your hypoglycemia to prevent it from recurring

Sometimes this initial treatment depends on your symptoms. An early symptoms can usually be treated by consuming just15 to 20 grams of a fast-acting carbohydrate.

A fast-acting carbohydrates are foods that can be easily converted to sugar in the body, such as glucose tablets or gel and fruit juice. Note that foods that contains fat or protein aren’t good treatments for hypoglycemia, this is because they affect the body’s absorption of sugar.

You should recheck blood sugar levels 15 minutes after treatment. But if the blood sugar levels are still under 70 mg/dL (3.9 mmol/L), then treat with another 15 to 20 grams of fast-acting carbohydrate, and then recheck the blood sugar level again in 15 minutes. You need to repeat these steps until the blood sugar is above 70 mg/dL (3.9 mmol/L).

Note that once the blood sugar levels are back to normal, it will be important to have a snack or meal to help stabilize your blood sugar level. Note that this also helps the body replenish the glycogen stores that might have been depleted during hypoglycemia.

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