Definition: Hypoglycemia means low blood glucose (blood sugar). MedlinePlus says that for many people with diabetes this means a level below 70 mg/dL, and for people without diabetes it is typically below 55 mg/dL. Your own threshold may differ, so check it with your care team.
MedlinePlus lists these causes in people with diabetes: insulin or other medicines that help the pancreas release insulin, too few carbohydrates, much more activity than usual, too much alcohol without food, and being sick and unable to eat. Symptoms tend to come on quickly and may include:
Severe hypoglycemia can cause passing out, coma or death. MedlinePlus says it can be treated with glucagon, given as a nasal spray or injection. Mild or moderate lows can be treated by eating or drinking something with carbohydrates. People with diabetes usually check with a blood glucose meter or a continuous glucose monitor (CGM).
The sulfonylurea labels make low blood sugar their main risk. Labels for drugs that rarely cause it alone, such as Ozempic, Januvia and Jardiance, warn that the risk rises when they are combined with insulin or a sulfonylurea.
A low reading is easier to explain when your log shows what you took and when. Dose Track keeps every medicine on one timeline, so a new combination or a dose change sits next to the day the lows started.
Read more on Dose Track: Glimepiride side effects · Ozempic side effects · Januvia side effects