Closet hypoglycemia.
An elderly nondiabetic woman was found stuporous and unresponsive at home. In the emergency department, testing revealed that she had a serum glucose of 40 mg/dL (2.2 mmol/L). No underlying metabolic cause could be determined. An inspection of her medications disclosed a professional medication sample bottle labeled as containing a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) that actually contained chlorpropamide tablets. Drugs, notably sulfonylureas, must be considered as a possible cause of unexplained severe hypoglycemia.
Robinson
I
I
Department of Family Medicine, Ventura County Medical Center, California 93003.
Deamer
R L
RL
Prichard
J G
JG
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002747:Chlorpropamide / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004348:Drug Labeling; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007003:Hypoglycemia / Q000139:chemically induced*; D008508:Medication Errors
D002747:Chlorpropamide