title: Risk factors for severe hypoglycaemia in type 2 diabetic patients admitted to hospital in Piraeus, Greece.
abstract: A 3-year study assessed the prevalence and causes of severe treatment-related hypoglycaemia in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients admitted to hospital in Piraeus. Out of the 2858 patients admitted, 207 (7.2%) had severe hypoglycaemia: 72 were being managed with insulin, 132 oral hypoglycaemic drugs and 3 combined insulin/oral drugs. Only 28.5% of patients were attending a diabetes clinic. The cause of the hypoglycaemic attack could be determined for 86.1% of cases; 30.8% were due to a missed meal. Interviews showed that education and level of knowledge about diabetes mellitus, and particularly hypoglycaemia symptoms, was inadequate. Logistic regression analysis showed that knowledge about diabetes mellitus correlated with educational status and with follow-up in a diabetes clinic.
authors.affiliation: Third Medical Department and Diabetes Clinic, General Hospital of Nikaea, Piraeus, Greece. eskliros@otenet.gr
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sotiropoulos
authors.forename: E A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Skliros
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tountas
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Apostolou
authors.forename: T A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Peppas
authors.forename: S I
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: Pappas
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001294:Attitude to Health; D015984:Causality; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy; D003927:Diet, Diabetic; D004522:Educational Status; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000378:metabolism; D006115:Greece / Q000453:epidemiology; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D007003:Hypoglycemia / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008612:Menu Planning; D008875:Middle Aged; D010343:Patient Admission / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D015995:Prevalence; D012648:Self Care; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents