What is hypoglycemia?
Hypoglycemia is a condition that describes abnormally low sugar levels in the blood. A person’s blood sugar has to be below 70 mg/dl in order to be classified as hypoglycemic.
What are the symptoms of hypoglycemia?
The symptoms depend on the severity of this condition. Nausea, extreme hunger, nervousness, tingling in fingers and toes, and a rapid heartbeat are all symptoms of mild hypoglycemia. Fatigue, dizziness, and confusion are symptoms of moderate hypoglycemia. Seizures, convulsions, and low body temperature are signs that a person’s hypoglycemia is severe.
What causes hypoglycemia?
Hypoglycemia is often caused by diabetes, but it can be caused by other things such as: metabolic problems, drinking too much alcohol, certain medications, and diseases of the liver, kidneys or pancreas.
What are some medical tests used to diagnose hypoglycemia?
If a doctor suspects that a person has hypoglycemia, he or she will do an extensive exam. The doctor will first take a person’s medical history by asking questions about diet, current medications, and family history.
He or she will then perform a physical exam looking for signs of liver, kidney, or adrenal disease and malnutrition. The doctor will then order laboratory tests that confirms that a person has hypoglycemia.