Medicines to Treat Reactive Hypoglycemia

Definition

Reactive hypoglycemia is a particular form of hypoglycemia, not dependent on insulin overdose, a condition typical of diabetic patients treated with injectable insulin or oral hypoglycemic agents.
Also called dietary or postprandial hypoglycemia, reactive hypoglycemia essentially depends on prolonged fasting or excessive sport, and occurs a couple of hours after the end of the meal.

Causes

In the majority of affected patients, reactive hypoglycemia is the result of prolonged fasting, an improper and low-sugar diet or excessive sport. Sometimes, reactive hypoglycemia is instead related to congenital enzyme deficiencies (eg fructose intolerance, galactosemia), hormonal alterations (eg hypothyroidism), excessive sensitivity to adrenaline, poor glucagon production, prediabetes, gastrectomy.

Symptoms

Symptoms associated with reactive hypoglycemia are somewhat vague: anxiety, asthenia, increased heart rate, confusion, weakness, intense hunger, sweating, headache, drowsiness, lightheadedness, fainting, tremor.

Information on Reactive Hypoglycemia - Drugs to Treat Reactive Hypoglycemia is not intended to replace the direct relationship between health care professional and patient. Always consult your doctor and / or specialist before taking Reactive Hypoglycemia - Drugs to Care Reactive hypoglycemia.

Medicines

Before resorting to drugs to treat reactive hypoglycemia, it is necessary to intervene on the diet, by correcting both the way you eat and the choice of foods.
Some of the most important guidelines to avoid the onset of reactive hypoglycemia are summarized below:

1. Divide meals into several snacks during the day, avoiding spending more than 3 hours from one snack to another
2. Avoid eating sugary foods on an empty stomach
3. Limit your intake of simple sugars
4. Prefer complex sugars
5. Prefer fruits and vegetables
6. Do not drink alcohol on an empty stomach
7. Prefer whole foods rich in fiber, which can slow down the absorption of glucose in the intestine

In addition to these simple dietary rules, it is recommended to always combine regular physical exercise, which - in patients suffering from reactive hypoglycemia - must be moderate, never excessive; do not carry out physical activity on an empty stomach.
Often times, reactive hypoglycemia requires the administration of supplements of pectin, psyllium and guar gum; sometimes, the administration of drugs - such as acarbose and glucose - may be necessary. diabetic patients, the reactive form, rather than being treated with drugs, must be prevented with simple dietary and behavioral rules.
It should be remembered, however, that reactive hypoglycemia could be associated with type II diabetes mellitus (in the early onset phase): in this case, adrenergic symptoms (uncontrolled release of adrenaline, increased sympathetic activity, weakness, palpitations , extreme hunger, etc.) tends to arise 4-5 hours after the end of the meal: insulin resistance causes a temporary post-prandial hyperglycemia to occur after a meal, followed by a massive secretion of insulin; the hyperinsulinemia causes in the second phase, after 4-5 hours of fasting, a reactive hypoglycemia which is also important. In this case, the intake of glucose and carbohydrates with a medium glycemic index is recommended; glucagon should only be administered in the case of severe reactive hypoglycemia, if oral administration of glucose is not sufficient to reverse the symptoms.

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

• Acarbose (eg Glicobase, Glucobay): the drug is an alpha-glucosidase inhibitor used for the treatment of type II diabetes mellitus and to treat reactive hypoglycemia. The dose of acarbose must be customized on the basis of the severity of the condition, the glycemic response and the general state of health of the patient. The drug exerts its therapeutic activity both by delaying the absorption of glucose and by reducing the stimulus to synthesis of insulin. .
• Glucose (eg. Gluc33% GSE, Gluc50% MNC, Gluphos): in general, in the first hypoglycemic stage and in severe reactive hypoglycemia, it is recommended to take sugar, in the form of lumps or granules (10-20 grams, equivalent to 3 The next meal should be rich in medium and low glycemic index carbohydrates, to prevent a further hypoglycemic episode compensating for excessive insulin secretion. Alternatively, intravenous glucose administration (at a dosage of 25 ml - 50% glucose solution - or 50 ml - 20% glucose solution -) is indicated to treat severe hypoglycemic crises (generally, the latter. indication is suitable almost exclusively for treating hypoglycemia dependent on insulin overdose in diabetics).

Notes: in obese patients suffering from postprandial reactive hypoglycemia due to overproduction of insulin, it is essential to follow a low-calorie diet, reducing the amount of carbohydrates.