Medicines to Treat Hypoglycemia

Definition

In the medical field, we speak of hypoglycemia when blood glucose levels fall below normal (<70 mg / dl). Hypoglycemia must be considered a rather alarming pathological condition, since it could interfere with some brain functions and with the release of some hormones (especially epinephrine and norepinephrine).

Causes

Hypoglycemia is a common condition in diabetes patients who take insulin: the decrease in blood sugar can in fact depend on an excessively high dosage of insulin, but also on an unbalanced and carbohydrate-deficient diet, or a prolonged state of fasting.

• In addition to diabetes, there are also other diseases implicated in the onset of hypoglycemia: abuse of aspirin, certain antibiotics (gatifloxacin and levofloxacin), alcoholism, pancreatic cancer (insulinoma) and liver, deficiency of growth hormone / cortisol, defect of the enzyme glucose-6-phosphatase, liver disease.

Symptoms

Although often vague and vague, the symptoms accompanying hypoglycemia can be dangerous: headache, convulsions, difficulty concentrating, intense hunger, blurred vision, palpitations, drooling, neurological symptoms, tremors; in severe cases, hypoglycemia can lead to hypoglycemic coma (blood sugar <20mg / dl).

Diet

The information on Hypoglycemia - Medicines to Treat Hypoglycemia is not intended to replace the direct relationship between health professional and patient. Always consult your doctor and / or specialist before taking Hypoglycemia - Medicines to Treat Hypoglycemia.

Medicines

Hypoglycemia must be considered a possible danger for people with diabetes who take insulin; in fact, due to an erroneous and excessive administration of insulin or oral hypoglycemic agents, the probability of hypoglycemia increases exponentially.
Furthermore, it should be remembered that in diabetics treated with insulin there is a reduction in the ability to recognize the symptoms accompanying hypoglycemia: what has been said involves an alarming risk, especially when the patient performs work that can endanger the life of others ( e.g. bricklayer, driver, etc.).

General guidelines to reduce the risk of hypoglycemia in diabetic patients on insulin therapy:

1. Modulate the insulin dosage
2. Opt for a more adequate "insulin
3. Change the frequency of insulin administration
4. Pay attention to the duration of the meal and the amount of food eaten
5. Avoid snacking too frequently

In general, the treatment of hypoglycemia should begin with the increase in the level of glucose in the blood, and continue with the treatment of the disease that, eventually, arises at the origin. To increase blood sugar, it is recommended to consume foods rich in sugars , such as candies, honey and fruit juices, but also carbohydrates with a medium glycemic index to avoid subsequent episodes of reactive hypoglycemia; if this were not enough, it is possible to resort to intravenous administration of glucose or glucagon.
If hypoglycemia is associated with more serious diseases (eg tumors), it is essential to treat the underlying pathology with drugs or surgery.

The following are the classes of drugs most used in the therapy against hypoglycemia, and some examples of pharmacological specialties; it is up to the doctor to choose the most suitable active ingredient and dosage for the patient, based on the severity of the disease, the state of health of the patient and his response to treatment:

• Diazoxide (eg. Proglicem): the drug is a vasodilator indicated for the treatment of hypoglycemia associated with pancreatic cancer; in other words, the active ingredient is used in therapy for the treatment of patients with chronic hypoglycemia (hyperproduction of endogenous insulin) . It is not indicated to treat occasional attacks of hypoglycemia. The drug should be taken orally, at a dosage of 5mg / kg per day, possibly divided into 2-3 doses. The drug is also used in therapy for the treatment of hypertensive crises. The dosage increases to 100-200 mg, 2-3 times a day, for patients with hypoglycemia dependent on insulinoma which cannot be removed surgically.

In order to avoid water retention, a typical side effect deriving from the administration of diazoxide, it is recommended to take diuretics

• Glucagon (eg. Glucagen Hypokit, Glucagen): by muscle injection, glucagon is indicated to treat severe hypoglycemia; the drug is particularly appropriate for unconscious diabetic patients treated with insulin, in the context of a hypo. from hypoglycemia weighing less than 20 kg, it is recommended to take a drug dose of 0.5 mg, subcutaneously, intramuscularly or intravenously. For hypoglycemic patients weighing over 20 kg, the indicative dose is 1 mg.

N.B. Glucagon is a hormone synthesized by the alpha cells of the pancreas; its function is to increase blood sugar by mobilizing hepatic glycogen, therefore it is indicated for the treatment of hypoglycemia.

• Glucose (eg. Gluc33% GSE, Gluc50% MNC, Gluphos): in general, in the first hypoglycemic stage, it is recommended to take sugar, in the form of lumps or granules (10-20 grams, equivalent to 3 lumps). The next meal should be high in carbohydrates to prevent another hypoglycemic episode. Alternatively, intravenous glucose administration (at a dosage of 25 ml - 50% glucose solution - or 50 ml - 20% glucose solution -) is indicated to treat hypoglycemic crises.