Hypoglycemia is a medical condition by which glucose in the blood is abnormally reduced or simply low blood sugar. Glucose is an essential component for proper functioning of the brain and low amount of glucose in the blood impairs brain function which is also referred to as neuroglycopenia. A mild effect felt by person with neuroglycopenia is mild dysphoria while some serious symptoms are unconsciousness, seizure and even brain damage or death. Hypoglycemia may also be a side effect when treating diabetes with oral medicines or insulin.
Causes of Hypoglcemia
Hypoglycemia is experienced rarely by non-diabetics but any person of any age can suffer from this medical emergency.
One of the main causes of hypoglycemia is excess insulin produced in the body, alcohol, prolonged starvation. medications. metabolism error, and hormone deficiency. This condition can be treated by bringing blood glucose levels to normal state through administration of dextrose or intake of carbohydrates, and in severe cases, should be treated with glucagon. Recurring hypoglycemia can be avoided by increasing number of meals each day and by taking medications such as glucocorticoids, diazoxde or octreotide and surgical reduction of the pancreas.
Symptoms of Hypoglycemia
Hypoglycemia manifests three kinds of symptoms such as adrenergic, glucagon and neuroglycopenic.
People suffering from adrenergic hypoglycemia experience feeling of warmth and sweating, palpitations, shakiness, anxiety, nervousness and have dilated pupils.
People with glucagon hypoglycemia usually experience feeling of hunger, vomiting, abdominal discomfort and has headaches.
Symptoms of neuroglycopenic type of hypoglycemia include feeling of numbness, negativism, irritability, confusion, fatigue, rage, staring, glassy look, blurred vision, moodiness, impaired judgement, difficulty in speaking, memory loss, headache, paralysis, slurred speech and many more. Long term hypoglycemia may cause cardiovascular disease.