Evaluation of death from hypoglycemia.
Hypoglycemia involving a serum glucose of 40 mg/dl or less may lead to death from hypoglycemic coma. Hypoglycemia may be a factor in sudden or unexpected deaths investigated by a medical examiner. We reviewed the data from 54,850 autopsies in a large acute-care medical center to investigate the range of underlying conditions leading to hypoglycemic coma and found 123 cases, which included complications of alcoholism in 41 (33%), drugs in 26 (21%), neoplasia in 26 (21%), conditions producing chronic passive congestion of liver in eight (7%), debilitating neurologic disease in eight (7%), endocrine disorders in four (3%), and a variety of miscellaneous conditions in ten (8%) cases. The commonest mechanisms producing hypoglycemia included liver disease with impaired carbohydrate metabolism, endogenous or exogenous drug or hormonal effect, and inanition from decreased intake of food.
Klatt
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Department of Pathology, Los Angeles County-University of Southern California Medical Center 90033.
Beatie
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Noguchi
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D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002423:Cause of Death; D002648:Child; D003128:Coma / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality; D006801:Humans; D007003:Hypoglycemia / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality*; D008875:Middle Aged