In many people with diabetes, low blood sugar causes nearly the same symptoms every time it happens. Not everybody feels low blood sugar symptoms the same way. Show
Some symptoms, like hunger or sweating, occur when blood sugar is only slightly low. More severe symptoms, such as unclear thinking or seizure, occur when the blood sugar is much lower (less than 40 mg/dL or 2.2 mmol/L). Even if you do not have symptoms, your blood sugar could still be too low (called hypoglycemic unawareness). You may not even know you have low blood sugar until you faint, have a seizure, or go into a coma. If you have diabetes, ask your health care provider if wearing a continuous glucose monitor can help you detect when your blood sugar is getting too low to help prevent a medical emergency. Some continuous glucose monitors can alert you and other people that you designate when your blood sugar decreases below a set level. If you have diabetes, keeping good control of your blood sugar can help prevent low blood sugar. Talk to your provider if you're not sure about the causes and symptoms of low blood sugar. Low blood sugar is a condition that occurs when your blood sugar (glucose) is lower than normal. Low blood sugar may occur in people with diabetes who are taking insulin or certain other medicines to control their diabetes. Low blood sugar can cause dangerous symptoms. Learn how to recognize the symptoms of low blood sugar and how to prevent them. What is Low Blood Sugar?Low blood sugar is called hypoglycemia. A blood sugar level below 70 mg/dL (3.9 mmol/L) is low and can harm you. A blood sugar level below 54 mg/dL (3.0 mmol/L) is a cause for immediate action. You are at risk for low blood sugar if you have diabetes and are taking any of the following diabetes medicines:
You are also at increased risk of having low blood sugar if you have had previous low blood sugar levels. Recognizing Low Blood SugarKnow how to tell when your blood sugar is getting low. Symptoms include:
Sometimes your blood sugar may be too low even if you do not have symptoms. If it gets too low, you may:
Some people who have had diabetes for a long time stop being able to sense low blood sugar. This is called hypoglycemic unawareness. Ask your health care provider if wearing a continuous glucose monitor and sensor can help you detect when your blood sugar is getting too low in order to help prevent symptoms. Check Your Blood Sugar OftenTalk with your provider about when you should check your blood sugar every day. People who have low blood sugar need to check their blood sugar more often. The most common causes of low blood sugar are:
Preventing Low Blood SugarPreventing low blood sugar is better than having to treat it. Always have a source of fast-acting sugar with you.
Do not drink alcohol without eating food. Women should limit alcohol to 1 drink a day and men should limit alcohol to 2 drinks a day. Family and friends should know how to help. They should know:
If you have diabetes, always wear a medical alert bracelet or necklace. This helps emergency medical workers know you have diabetes. When Your Blood Sugar Gets LowCheck your blood sugar whenever you have symptoms of low blood sugar. If your blood sugar is below 70 mg/dL, treat yourself right away. 1. Eat something that has about 15 grams (g) of carbohydrates. Examples are:
2. Wait about 15 minutes before eating any more. Be careful not to eat too much. This can cause high blood sugar and weight gain. 3. Check your blood sugar again. 4. If you do not feel better in 15 minutes and your blood sugar is still lower than 70 mg/dL (3.9 mmol/L), eat another snack with 15 g of carbohydrates. You may need to eat a snack with carbohydrates and protein if your blood sugar is in a safer range -- over 70 mg/dL (3.9 mmol/L) -- and your next meal is more than an hour away. Ask your provider how to manage this situation. If these steps for raising your blood sugar do not work, call your doctor right away. Talk to Your Doctor or NurseIf you use insulin and your blood sugar is frequently or consistently low, ask your doctor or nurse if you:
Do not make any changes without talking to your doctor or nurse first. Sometimes hypoglycemia can be due to accidently taking the wrong medicines. Check your medicines with your pharmacist. When to Call the DoctorIf signs of low blood sugar do not improve after you have eaten a snack that contains sugar, have someone drive you to the emergency room or call 911 or the local emergency number. Do not drive when your blood sugar is low. Get medical help right away for a person with low blood sugar if the person is not alert or cannot be woken up as this is a medical emergency. Alternative NamesHypoglycemia - self care; Low blood glucose - self care Images
ReferencesAmerican Diabetes Association Professional Practice Committee; Draznin B, Aroda VR, et al. 6. Glycemic Targets: Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes-2022. Diabetes Care. 2022;45(Suppl 1):S83-S96. PMID: 34964868 pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34964868/. Cryer PE, Arbeláez AM. Hypoglycemia. In: Melmed S, Auchus RJ, Goldfine AB, Koenig RJ, Rosen CJ, eds. Williams Textbook of Endocrinology. 14th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 38. Read More
Patient Instructions
Review Date 2/1/2022Updated by: Sandeep K. Dhaliwal, MD, board-certified in Diabetes, Endocrinology, and Metabolism, Springfield, VA. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team. What blood sugar level is too low for type 2 diabetes?Such high levels tend to be uncommon in type 2 diabetes. Blood sugar levels below 3.3 mmol/l (60 mg/dl) are considered to be too low.
What happens if a diabetic person's blood sugar gets too low?This can lead to blurred vision, difficulty concentrating, confused thinking, slurred speech, numbness, and drowsiness. If blood glucose stays low for too long, starving the brain of glucose, it may lead to seizures, coma, and very rarely death.
|