Hypoglycemia is a low level of blood sugar. A person may tremble,
feel nervous or jittery, break out in a cold sweat, have a headache, and feel
sick to his or her stomach.
Blood sugar levels are measured in mg/dL. A fasting blood sugar
level of 70 to 100 mg/dL is normal, 50 to 70 mg/dL is mildly low, and less than
50 mg/dL is very low.
If blood sugar, also called glucose, continues to fall, a person
may experience mood changes, such as irritability, anxiety, restlessness,
anger, or confusion, and symptoms such as weakness, blurred vision, dizziness,
fatigue, and poor coordination.
Hypoglycemia may also result from taking certain medicines,
drinking alcohol, or from a variety of health problems, such as not processing
carbohydrates properly or having an enzyme deficiency. Sometimes the cause is
unknown.
Treatment for a sudden (acute) episode of hypoglycemia involves
eating or drinking some form of sugar to restore blood sugar to a normal level.
Episodes of hypoglycemia caused by a long-term (chronic) health condition are
treated the same way, but prevention of future episodes requires treatment or
cure of the underlying condition.
