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Treatments and drugs
By Mayo Clinic staffTreatment of hypoglycemia involves two basic approaches:
- Immediate initial treatment to raise your blood sugar level
- Treatment of the underlying condition that's causing your hypoglycemia, to prevent it from recurring
Immediate initial treatment
The initial treatment depends on your symptoms. Early symptoms can usually be treated by consuming sugar, such as eating candy, drinking fruit juice or taking glucose tablets to raise your blood sugar level. If your symptoms are more severe, impairing your ability to take sugar by mouth, you may need intravenous glucose or an injection of glucagon. If you're prone to severe episodes of hypoglycemia, ask your doctor if a home glucagon kit might be appropriate for you.
Treatment of the underlying condition
Preventing recurrent hypoglycemia requires your doctor to identify the underlying condition and treat it. Depending on the underlying cause, treatment may involve:
- Medications. If a medication is the cause of your hypoglycemia, your doctor will likely suggest changing the medication or adjusting the dosage.
- Tumor treatment. A tumor in your pancreas is treated by surgical removal. Nesidioblastosis, enlargement of the pancreatic cells that make insulin, is often treated by partial removal of the pancreas.
- Hypoglycemia. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. http://diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/dm/pubs/hypoglycemia/index.htm. Accessed Nov. 7, 2009.
- Cryer PE. Glucose homeostasis and hypoglycemia. In: Kronenberg HM, et al. Williams Textbook of Endocrinology. 11th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2008. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/169663869-4/0/1555/204.html?tocnode=54108916&fromURL=204.html#4-u1.0-B978-1-4160-2911-3..50035-2_3179. Accessed Nov. 7, 2009.
- Inzucchi SE, et al. Type 1 diabetes mellitus. In: Goldman L, et al., eds. Cecil Medicine. 23rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/169663869-5/913633383/1492/899.html#4-u1.0-B978-1-4160-2805-5..50252-4--cesec70_11022. Accessed Nov. 7, 2009.
- Sperling MA. Hypoglycemia. In: Kliegman RM, et al. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 18th ed. Saunders Elsevier; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/169663869-5/913633383/1608/268.html#4-u1.0-B978-1-4160-2450-7..50094-3_2388. Accessed Nov. 7, 2009.
- Cryer PE, et al. Evaluation and management of adult hypoglycemic disorders: An Endocrine Society clinical practice guideline. The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. 2009;94:709.
- Service JF (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Nov. 16, 2009.
