Hypoglycemia (Low Blood Sugar) in People Without Diabetes

Home Treatment

If you are at risk for developing hypoglycemia, you need to know about health conditions or situations that may lead to low blood sugar and how to deal with them. Proper attention to your health and lifestyle can help you prevent hypoglycemia.

It is important to learn to recognize the early symptoms of hypoglycemia and to take steps to deal with low blood sugar immediately.

When your blood sugar drops too low, drink fruit juice or sugared (non-diet) soda pop; eat sugar in the form of candy, cubes, or tablets; or eat other quick-sugar foods.

Members of your household, close friends, and co-workers also should know the symptoms of low blood sugar and learn about emergency care. Wear medical information on a badge or bracelet if you are at risk for developing moderate or severe hypoglycemia, in case an episode occurs when you are away from family, friends, or caregivers.

Emergency care

Emergency care for low blood sugar for people who are not taking insulin includes consuming some kind of quick-sugar food, such as fruit juice, as long as you are able to swallow. (Use this information if you do not know whether a person with hypoglycemia takes insulin.)

Health and lifestyle management to avoid hypoglycemia

When hypoglycemia occurs because of an isolated, short-term cause such as prolonged fasting or strenuous exercise, further medical treatment is usually not needed. You may simply need to talk with your doctor about how to avoid such behaviours or situations.

When hypoglycemia has a chronic cause that is not curable, treatment of the condition often can prevent episodes of low blood sugar. Talk with your doctor about:

• Modifying your diet with a long-term meal plan (what, when, and how much you eat).
• Changing the dosage or types of medicines you take.
• Modifying the timing and level of physical activity (such as when and how hard you exercise).
• Keeping a diary of low blood sugar symptoms (when they occur and what and when you last ate).

Managing your diet to prevent hypoglycemia is particularly important if you have diabetes, inherited enzyme or hormone deficiencies, or non-fasting (post-prandial) hypoglycemia.

Your doctor will want to see you for a physical examination every year (annual), and more often if your symptoms become frequent. You and your doctor will discuss your home blood sugar monitoring records and your diary of your symptoms.

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Author:	Caroline Rea, RN, BS, MS	Last Updated: July 13, 2007
Medical Review:	Caroline S. Rhoads, MD - Internal Medicine Alan C. Dalkin, MD - Endocrinology Donald Sproule, MD, CM, CCFP, FCFP - Family Medicine
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