Diabetes medication in the context of "Hypoglycemia"

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⭐ Core Definition: Diabetes medication

Drugs used in diabetes treat types of diabetes mellitus by decreasing glucose levels in the blood. Most GLP-1 receptor agonists (liraglutide, exenatide, tirzepatide, pramlintide and others) are administered by injection. Other anti-diabetes medications (including semaglutide as Rybelsus) are administered orally and are thus called oral hypoglycemic agents or oral antihyperglycemic agents. (Semaglutide is available both as a pill and as an injection.) There are different classes of hypoglycemic drugs, and selection of the appropriate agent depends on the nature of the diabetes (Type I vs Type II), the age and situation of the person, as well as other patient factors.

Type 1 diabetes is an endocrine disorder characterized by hyperglycemia due to autoimmune destruction of insulin-secreting pancreatic beta cells. Insulin is a hormone needed by cells to take in glucose from the blood. Insufficient levels of insulin due to Type 1 diabetes can lead to chronic hyperglycemia and eventual multiorgan damage, resulting in renal, neurologic, cardiovascular, and other serious complications. The treatment for Type 1 diabetes involves regular insulin injections.

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👉 Diabetes medication in the context of Hypoglycemia

Hypoglycemia (American English), also spelled hypoglycaemia or hypoglycæmia (British English), sometimes called low blood sugar, is a fall in blood sugar to levels below normal, typically below 70 mg/dL (3.9 mmol/L). Whipple's triad is used to properly identify hypoglycemic episodes. It is defined as blood glucose below 70 mg/dL (3.9 mmol/L), symptoms associated with hypoglycemia, and resolution of symptoms when blood sugar returns to normal. Hypoglycemia may result in headache, tiredness, clumsiness, trouble talking, confusion, fast heart rate, sweating, shakiness, nervousness, hunger, loss of consciousness, seizures, or death. Symptoms typically come on quickly. Symptoms can remain even soon after raised blood level.

The most common cause of hypoglycemia is medications used to treat diabetes such as insulin, sulfonylureas, and biguanides. Risk is greater in diabetics who have eaten less than usual, recently exercised, or consumed alcohol. Other causes of hypoglycemia include severe illness, sepsis, kidney failure, liver disease, hormone deficiency, tumors such as insulinomas or non-B cell tumors, inborn errors of metabolism, and several medications. Low blood sugar may occur in otherwise healthy newborns who have not eaten for a few hours.

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Diabetes medication in the context of Diabetes

Diabetes mellitus, commonly known as diabetes, is a group of common endocrine diseases characterized by sustained high blood sugar levels. Diabetes is due to either the pancreas not producing enough of the hormone insulin or the cells of the body becoming unresponsive to insulin's effects. Classic symptoms include the three Ps: polydipsia (excessive thirst), polyuria (excessive urination), polyphagia (excessive hunger), weight loss, and blurred vision. If left untreated, the disease can lead to various health complications, including disorders of the cardiovascular system, eye, kidney, and nerves. Diabetes accounts for approximately 4.2 million deaths every year, with an estimated 1.5 million caused by either untreated or poorly treated diabetes.

The major types of diabetes are type 1 and type 2. The most common treatment for type 1 is insulin replacement therapy (insulin injections), while anti-diabetic medications (such as metformin and semaglutide or tirzepatide) and lifestyle modifications can be used to manage type 2. Gestational diabetes, a form that sometimes arises during pregnancy, normally resolves shortly after delivery. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune condition where the body's immune system attacks the beta cells (β-cell) in the pancreas, preventing the production of insulin. This condition is typically present from birth or develops early in life. Type 2 diabetes occurs when the body becomes resistant to insulin, meaning the cells do not respond effectively to it, and thus, glucose remains in the bloodstream instead of being absorbed by the cells. Additionally, diabetes can also result from other specific causes, such as genetic conditions (monogenic diabetes syndromes like neonatal diabetes and maturity-onset diabetes of the young), diseases affecting the pancreas (such as pancreatitis), or the use of certain medications and chemicals (such as glucocorticoids, other specific drugs and after organ transplantation).

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