Medicines for Hypoglycaemia (low blood sugar)

What it is

Hypoglycaemia, or a "hypo", is when the blood sugar (glucose) level falls too low. It occurs most commonly in people with diabetes who take insulin or certain other blood-sugar-lowering medicines, and can be triggered by too much medicine, eating too little or too late, unplanned exercise, or alcohol. Early symptoms are the body's warning signs and can include feeling shaky, sweaty, hungry, anxious, dizzy, tingling lips, and difficulty concentrating. If not treated, the blood sugar can fall further, causing confusion, slurred speech, unusual behaviour and, in severe cases, seizures or loss of consciousness. Recognising the early signs and treating them quickly usually resolves a hypo before it becomes serious. It can also, less commonly, occur for other reasons in people without diabetes.

How it is treated

The immediate treatment of a hypo is to take fast-acting sugar straight away — such as glucose tablets, a sugary drink or sweets — followed, once recovering, by a longer-acting carbohydrate snack (like a sandwich or biscuits) to prevent it recurring, then rechecking the blood sugar. If someone is too drowsy or unconscious to swallow safely, they must not be given anything by mouth; instead, emergency help is needed, and an injection of glucagon (if available and someone is trained) or emergency services should be used. For people with diabetes, preventing hypos is important: understanding their medicines, eating regularly, planning for exercise and alcohol, monitoring blood sugar, and reviewing treatment with the diabetes team if hypos are frequent. Recognising and acting on early symptoms is key.