Hypoglycemia

Also called: Low blood sugar

MEDICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA

National Institutes of Health

The primary NIH organization for research on Hypoglycemia is theNational Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases

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New on the MedlinePlus Hypoglycemia page:

C-Peptide Test

08/01/2018 04:21 PM EDT

Source: National Library of Medicine - From the National Institutes of Health

Summary

Hypoglycemia means low blood glucose, or blood sugar. Your body needs glucose to have enough energy. After you eat, your blood absorbs glucose. If you eat more sugar than your body needs, your muscles, and liver store the extra. When your blood sugar begins to fall, a hormone tells your liver to release glucose.

In most people, this raises blood sugar. If it doesn't, you have hypoglycemia, and your blood sugar can be dangerously low. Signs include

Hunger
Shakiness
Dizziness
Confusion
Difficulty speaking
Feeling anxious or weak

In people with diabetes, hypoglycemia is often a side effect of diabetes medicines. Eating or drinking something with carbohydrates can help. If it happens often, your health care provider may need to change your treatment plan.

You can also have low blood sugar without having diabetes. Causes include certain medicines or diseases, hormone or enzyme deficiencies, and tumors. Laboratory tests can help find the cause. The kind of treatment depends on why you have low blood sugar.

NIH: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases

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Hypoglycemia (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
Low Blood Glucose (Hypoglycemia) (National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases)Also in Spanish