title: Minimizing Hypoglycemia in Diabetes.
abstract: Hypoglycemia caused by treatment with a sulfonylurea, a glinide, or insulin coupled with compromised defenses against the resulting falling plasma glucose concentrations is a problem for many people with diabetes. It is often recurrent, causes significant morbidity and occasional mortality, limits maintenance of euglycemia, and impairs physiological and behavioral defenses against subsequent hypoglycemia. Minimizing hypoglycemia includes acknowledging the problem; considering each risk factor; and applying the principles of intensive glycemic therapy, including drug selection and selective application of diabetes treatment technologies. For diabetes health-care providers treating most people with diabetes who are at risk for or are suffering from iatrogenic hypoglycemia, these principles include selecting appropriate individualized glycemic goals and providing structured patient education to reduce the incidence of hypoglycemia. This is typically combined with short-term scrupulous avoidance of hypoglycemia, which often will reverse impaired awareness of hypoglycemia. Clearly, the risk of hypoglycemia is modifiable.
mesh_terms: D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000188:drug therapy*; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006282:Health Personnel; D006801:Humans; D007003:Hypoglycemia / Q000517:prevention & control*; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D007328:Insulin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010347:Patient Care Planning; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D012307:Risk Factors; D013453:Sulfonylurea Compounds / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D007328:Insulin; D013453:Sulfonylurea Compounds