Hypoglycemia

Hypoglycemia is the lower than normal level of blood glucose in a person. Literally, the word means “under-sweet blood.” There are low levels of glucose and high amount of sugar. Hypoglycemia produces symptoms which arise because of the lack of glucose. Glucose is important since this is the fuel to the brain. The lack of this results to neuroglycopenia or an impairment in the functioning of the brain. The lack of this also results to diabetes.

Severe cases of hypoglycemia take place when the treatment of diabetes mellitus with insulin becomes complicated. Sometimes, the person is no longer treated with insulin but with oral medications. Hypoglycemia, on the other hand, is treated by the administering or ingesting of dextrose or foods. People suffer from diabetes has to go through this process.

Unfortunately, there are some studies that do not accepted the stated diagnostic criteria of diabetes. Even the glucose level is low, the diagnosis is not hypoglycemia if it does not quality for the Whipple’s Triad. Whipple’s Triad is the three criteria which suggest that the person is actually suffering from hypoglycemia. These are: 1. The person is showing symptoms which are likely to be the effects of hypoglycemia, 2. He has low plasma glucose and 3. When the glucose is increased, the person is cured from the symptoms he experienced.

However there is still an ongoing debate on blood glucose levels. These are usually measured by the standard or automated glucose oxidase which are common in medical laboratories. Plasma and serum levels are similar enough and because of this, these can be interchangeable. When measuring glucose level, one must remember that the glucose meters to measure diabetes are warranted to be about 15% accurate as that of the sticks used in the laboratory. The accuracy is also affected by the optimal conditions. Some say that when the glucose meters are used at home, then the hypoglycemia result can be misleading.

It is a coincidence though that most glucose meters sold in the stores are routinely tested for accuracy. The level they are tested in reaches up to 800 mg/dL despite the fact that there is not much danger from hyperglycemia but there is immediate danger from hypoglycemia. Regardless, these are both pertain to diabetes. The accurate reading, especially at a lower level can be very critical. If this is the result, then the person must be advised by doctors for the proper remedy.