Understanding Hypoglycaemia: Causes, Symptoms, Prevention, and Treatment

A 35-year-old woman, has been an active person since her childhood. However, she felt persistent fatigue and dizziness with the changing dietary intake and growing stress at the workplace. One afternoon, when working on an important project, she felt a wave of weakness, followed by trembling and confusion. Ananya was taken to the hospital, where she was diagnosed with hypoglycemia. The condition is mostly characterized by abnormally low levels of blood sugar, and such a condition might lead to serious consequences if not well taken care of. It affects anyone, mainly those suffering from diabetes or other health conditions. 

This article will go further to explain what hypoglycemia is, the causes, symptoms, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment, as well as answer some of the frequently asked questions about the condition.

What Is Hypoglycaemia?

Hypoglycemia is a medical condition in which the blood glucose is well below the normal range, usually less than 70 mg/dL (3.9 mmol/L). Glucose is a major energy input into the body and, in particular, a critical fuel to the brain. When the blood glucose levels drop, the body cannot operate properly. Although it most often occurs as a side effect of diabetes, hypoglycemia can also be found in non-diabetic patients because of improper dietary intake, alcohol consumption, and other health issues. 

Hypoglycemia Causes

There are many causes of hypoglycemia, including the following: 

• Medication: Certain medications, mainly drugs used to treat diabetes, such as insulin and sulfonylureas, can cause blood sugar to fall too low. 
• Excessive Alcohol Use: The use of alcohol, most especially on an empty stomach, undermines the liver’s ability to release its stored supply of glucose into the bloodstream. 
• Skipping a Meal or Fasting: If you miss food for a long period, then it reduces glucose, particularly when one is under certain medications known to lower blood glucose. 
• Strenuous Exercise: Aerobic or lengthy exercise devoid of adequate food can cause exhaustion of the nutrient glucose within your system. 
• Hormonal Deficiencies: Adrenal insufficiency or hypopituitarism, a problem that results in inadequate production of hormones, will eventually lead to hypoglycemia. 

Hypoglycaemia Symptoms

This is very crucial for the patient being able to be treated quickly and effectively. Hypoglycaemia presents with various symptoms. Some common symptoms of hypoglycemia include: 

• Shakiness or Trembling: This most commonly is an initial symptom of hypoglycemia. 
• Sweating and Palpitations: These are forms of automatic responses that take place when a decline in glucose levels is detected in the body. 
• Confusion and Difficulty Concentrating: Since the brain requires glucose as its energy source to work at an optimal state, reduced levels of glucose may compromise cognition. 
• Blurred Vision and Dizziness: This is associated with the typical symptoms of disturbance in the body’s visual perceptions when the blood sugar is too low. 
• Irritability or Mood Changes: Sudden mood swings may be ascribed to insufficient glucose supply to the brain. 

Hypoglycaemia Diagnosis

Hypoglycaemia has been diagnosed through the blood glucose level using a glucometer or a blood test in the clinical environment. In the presence of symptoms, a healthcare professional may order further testing with a fasting test or a mixed-meal tolerance test, which will evaluate how well the body takes care of sugar. An HbA1c test, measuring the average levels of blood sugar over the previous three months, can also be carried out to rule out diabetes as a contributory factor. 

Hypoglycaemia Prevention

The prevention of hypoglycemia is basically from lifestyle management, and cases of medical management are in some instances. 

• Consumption of Food: Frequent and small meals maintain adequate levels of blood sugar. 
• Blood Sugar Level Monitoring: Consistent care in patients with diabetes about their blood sugar level keeps their glucose within the target limits. 
• Diets to Balance Blood Glucose: A balanced diet containing proper amounts of a mix of carbohydrates, proteins, and healthy fats maintains blood glucose. 
• Limit Alcohol Intake: Avoid or reduce intake, especially on an empty stomach, to avoid hypoglycemia. 
• Medication Adjustments: If a medicine triggers your low blood sugar, you may need to change the medication or adjust its dose.

Hypoglycaemia Treatment

The immediate treatment for hypoglycemia consists of quick-acting carbohydrates: glucose tablets, fruit juice, or regular soda. The recommendation commonly made is to take on board 15 grams of quick-acting carbohydrate, wait 15 minutes, and then repeat testing. If levels are still low, the process can be repeated. For more severe hypoglycemia when the person is unconscious or too unwell to take food or drink by mouth then treatment includes an injection of glucagon or intravenous glucose. 

Drugs Causing Hypoglycaemia

Certain drugs can inadvertently lead to hypoglycemia, especially in patients taking medication for other ailments. These include the following: 

• Insulin and Sulfonylureas: They commonly cause hypoglycemia and are normally prescribed for diabetes. 
• Beta-Blockers: Though they are usually prescribed for conditions of the heart, they can cause the symptoms of hypoglycemia. 
• Quinine: Prescribed for malaria, it sometimes causes hypoglycemia. 
• Pentamidine: This medication is used to treat pneumonia and can also cause hypoglycemia.

When to See a Doctor?

One should see the doctor in cases where hypoglycemia is very recurrent or the symptoms are severe like unconsciousness or convulsions or the confused state of mind that does not get better upon ingestion of glucose. The sooner the medical interference, the lesser the complications and possibility to find some underlying causes for low blood sugar. 

Hypoglycaemia : Conclusion

Understanding hypoglycemia and good care make it less threatening. Therefore, the identification of symptoms and necessary precautions will support individuals like Ananya Vaswani in maintaining their blood glucose levels within normal limits. Awareness and management strategies help these people with hypoglycemia live healthy and active lives. All sufferers of repeated bouts of low blood sugar should be checked regularly and consulted with the doctors. 

References: 

1. Low blood sugar (hypoglycaemia). National Health Service. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/low-blood-sugar-hypoglycaemia/. Accessed Aug. 25, 2024.

2. What is a hypo (hypoglycaemia)?. Diabetes UK[Internet]. https://www.diabetes.org.uk/guide-to-diabetes/complications/hypos. Accessed Aug. 25, 2024.

3. Hypoglycaemia. Better Health Channel[Internet]. https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/hypoglycaemia. Accessed Aug. 25, 2024.

4. Hypoglycaemia (hypos) – low blood glucose. Health Service Executive[Internet]. https://www2.hse.ie/conditions/type-1-diabetes/blood-glucose/hypoglycaemia/. Accessed Aug. 25, 2024.

5. Hypoglycaemia. Médecins Sans Frontières [Internet]. [updated 2023 November] https://medicalguidelines.msf.org/en/viewport/CG/english/hypoglycaemia-16689019.html. Accessed Aug. 25, 2024.

Disclaimer: The content provided in this article is intended solely for educational purposes and should not be considered a replacement for professional medical treatment. Given the distinct needs of each individual, it is advisable for the reader to seek guidance from their healthcare provider to assess the relevance of the information to their specific circumstances.