Treatment and Prevention
Eating or drinking 15 g of carbohydrate (sugar) usually relieves the symptoms of hypoglycemia within minutes. The sugar should preferably be in the form of glucose or sucrose tablets or solution. Glucose gels, fruit juice, candy, or pop are alternatives if the preferred options are not available. People with diabetes who use insulin or medications that promote the release of insulin by the pancreas should always carry a sugar product with them for treating mild to moderate hypoglycemia. Most people will get an increase of 38 mg/dL (2.1 mmol/L) within 20 minutes of taking 15 g carbohydrate.
Examples of 15 g of carbohydrate include:
- 15 g of glucose in the form of glucose tablets
- 3 tsp or 3 packets of table sugar dissolved in water
- ¾ cup of juice or regular soft drink
- 6 Life Savers® candies (1 is equal to 2.5 g carbohydrates)
- 1 tbsp of honey
After taking the sugar, the person with hypoglycemia should wait 15 minutes and test their blood glucose. If it is still less than 72 mg/dL (4.0 mmol/L) another 15 g of glucose should be taken.
For severe hypoglycemia, a person who is still conscious should take 20 g carbohydrates (equivalent of 20 g glucose) and retest blood glucose again in 15 minutes. If it is still less than 72 mg/dL (4.0 mmol/L), 15 g of glucose should be taken.
If a person with hypoglycemia is unconscious they should be treated with 1 mg of glucagon* injected under the skin or into a muscle. This restores the blood sugar to normal levels within 5 to 15 minutes by signaling the liver to make more glucose. Children less than 5 years of age should be given a dose of 0.5 mg glucagon in the same manner. Caregivers should call for emergency services and the episode discussed with the diabetes health care team as soon as possible. Anyone at home with a person that is at risk for hypoglycemia should be taught how to inject glucagon and have it on hand at all times.
After an episode of hypoglycemia has been reversed, the individual should have the usual meal or snack that is due at that time of the day. If the next meal is more than one hour away, a snack that includes 15 g carbohydrate and a protein source should be eaten, as long as there are no other problems caused by the episode.
People who have reactive hypoglycemia, but do not have diabetes, can usually control symptoms by eating small, frequent meals. People who are at risk of experiencing hypoglycemia should wear a MedicAlert® bracelet so that emergency personnel don't mistake their symptoms of dizziness, confusion, and inappropriate behavior for drunkenness.
*All medications have both common (generic) and brand names. The brand name is what a specific manufacturer calls the product (e.g., Tylenol®). The common name is the medical name for the medication (e.g., acetaminophen). A medication may have many brand names, but only one common name. This article lists medications by their common names. For more information on brand names, speak with your doctor or pharmacist.