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The formal medical term for low blood sugar, also called low blood glucose, is hypoglycemia. According to the American Diabetes Association, all diabetics develop the condition occasionally, even if they're managing their diabetes effectively.
Significance
Glucose is found in food and it's the body's primary source of energy. When blood glucose levels become too low in diabetics, the brain and body are unable to function properly. This may lead to confusion, hunger, sweating and problems seeing.
Medication
Blood sugar may become low when diabetics take certain injectable drugs or medications that increase the body's production of insulin. Some drugs taken in combination, such as glimepiride with pioglitazone or rosiglitazone, can also cause hypoglycemia.
Other Causes
Eating too little, too late or too infrequently may cause blood sugar to decrease in diabetics. Hypoglycemia can also result from drinking alcohol or increasing one's level of physical activity.
Warning
Treating hypoglycemia promptly is imperative. Although rare, potential symptoms of the condition include seizures, unconsciousness and death.
Considerations
Non-diabetics may develop two types of hypoglycemia, which produce symptoms similar to diabetes-related hypoglycemia. Reactive (or postprandial) hypoglycemia occurs four hours after eating, and fasting (or postabsorptive) hypoglycemia usually occurs as a side effect of an existing medical condition.
Source:
American Diabetes Association: Hypoglycemia (Low Blood Glucose)
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases: Hypoglycemia
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