Symptom: Hypoglycemia

Introduction: Hypoglycemia

Low blood sugar levels (hypoglycemia) can arise due to diseases such as chronic hypoglycemia. People with diabetes often have hypoglycemia attacks caused by insulin or diabetes pills. Some people have mild hypoglycemia after a period of non-eating, which may or may not be severe enough to warrant a diagnosis of clinical hypoglycemia. Because of the variety of possible causes, any hypoglycemia symptoms need medical diagnosis.

» Review Causes of Hypoglycemia: full list

Causes of Hypoglycemia:

The following medical conditions are some of the possible causes of Hypoglycemia. There are likely to be other possible causes, so ask your doctor about your symptoms.

• Hypoglycemia - including various types of hypoglycemia:
  • Chronic hypoglycemia
  • Clinical hypoglycemia
  • Reactive hypoglycemia (type of Hypoglycemia)
  • Fasting hypoglycemia (type of Hypoglycemia)
• Hypoglycemic attack
• Diabetic hypo
• Insulin shock
• Insulinoma

See full list of 180 causes of Hypoglycemia

» Review Causes of Hypoglycemia: full list

Causes of Types of Hypoglycemia:

Review the causes of these more specific types of Hypoglycemia:

• Low blood sugar (76 causes)

More types of Hypoglycemia

Hypoglycemia: Multiple Symptom Checker

Listed below are some combinations of symptoms associated with Hypoglycemia, as listed in our database. Visit the Multiple Symptoms Checker, to add and remove symptoms and research your condition.

Multiple Symptom Checker - Other Symptoms

• Hypoglycemia: Multiple Symptom Checker

Multiple Symptom Checker Combinations

• Hypoglycemia and Muscle symptoms (76 causes)
• Hypoglycemia and Muscle weakness (71 causes)
• Hypoglycemia and Low blood sugar (63 causes)
• Hypoglycemia and Weakness (62 causes)
• Hypoglycemia and Digestive symptoms (60 causes)
• Hypoglycemia and Head symptoms (59 causes)
• Hypoglycemia and Behavioral symptoms (57 causes)
• Hypoglycemia and Liver problems (52 causes)
• Hypoglycemia and Liver symptoms (52 causes)
• Hypoglycemia and Body symptoms (49 causes)
• Hypoglycemia and Seizures (49 causes)
• Hypoglycemia and Fatigue (49 causes)
• Hypoglycemia and Movement symptoms (47 causes)
• Hypoglycemia and Spasms (46 causes)
• Hypoglycemia and Weight symptoms (46 causes)
• Hypoglycemia and Syncope (46 causes)
• Hypoglycemia and Muscle spasms (44 causes)
• Hypoglycemia and Personality symptoms (43 causes)
• Hypoglycemia and Vomiting (43 causes)
• Hypoglycemia and Weight loss (42 causes)

See full list of 880 Multiple Symptom Checker combinations related to Hypoglycemia

Home Diagnostic Testing and Hypoglycemia

Home medical tests possibly related to Hypoglycemia:

• High Cholesterol: Home Testing:
  • Home Cholesterol Tests
  • Home Triglycerides Tests
  • Home Blood Pressure Tests
• High Blood Pressure: Home Testing
  • Home Blood Pressure Monitors
  • Home Heart Tests
• Heart Health: Home Testing:
  • Heart Rate Monitors
  • Irregular Heartbeat Detection
  • Heart Electrocardiogram (ECG)
• Thyroid: Home Testing:
  • Home Thyroid Function Tests
  • Home TSH Tests
  • Home Adrenal Function Tests
• Diet & Weight Loss: Home Testing:
  • Home Weight Testing
  • Home Body Fat Testing (BMI)
  • Home Body Fat Monitoring
  • Home Fitness Testing
• Diabetes: Related Home Testing:
  • Home Diabetes Tests
  • Home Blood Glucose Tests
  • Home Urine Glucose Tests
  • Home Urine Ketone Tests
  • Home Diabetes HbA1c Tests
  • Home Microalbumin Tests (Kidney)
  • Home Urine Protein Tests (Kidney)
  • Home Kidney Tests
  • Home Eye Tests

Causes of Similar Symptoms to Hypoglycemia

Research the causes of these symptoms that are similar to, or related to, the symptom Hypoglycemia:

• Low blood sugar (76 causes)
• Dizziness (460 causes)

Diagnostic Guides for Hypoglycemia

12 MEDICAL SYMPTOM BOOKS: FULL TEXT ONLINE! Read the full text of published book sections related to Hypoglycemia from the following published medical books for more detailed information about Hypoglycemia. Free access (no registration): read all online diagnostic book sections about Hypoglycemia

Copyright notice for book excerpts: Copyright © 2008 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. All rights reserved.

In-Depth Reports: Diagnosis and Misdiagnosis

Diabetes diagnosis and misdiagnosis (In-Depth Report): Although diabetes diagnosis is well-known to physicians, and a diabetes diagnosis is unlikely to be wholly incorrect, there are still some rare subtypes and less common diagnostic issues to consider. See also misdiagnosis of diabetes and Diabetes Diagnosis Report....read full report »

Read more about Misdiagnosis and Hypoglycemia

Misdiagnosis and Hypoglycemia

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Read more about Misdiagnosis and Hypoglycemia

Diagnostic tests for Hypoglycemia:

Various tests are used in the diagnosis of Hypoglycemia. Some of these are listed below :

• Blood tests
  • Measurement of overnight fasting glucose and insulin levels on three occasions, if suspect insulinona
  • Hospitalization for repeated blood sugar levels during a 72 hour fast, if overnight testing is inconclusive
  • Plasma cortisol. If decreased consider Addison's disease
  • Plasma growth hormone. If decreased consider Simmond's disease

See full list of 11 diagnostic tests for Hypoglycemia

Diagnosis Checklist: Questions your doctor may ask (and why!)

During a consultation, your doctor will use various techniques in their assessment of Hypoglycemia. Your doctor may ask several questions when assessing your condition. It is important to remember that your consultation is a two-way process and any extra information you can share with your doctor about your symptoms may help them with their diagnosis. Some of the questions your doctor may ask are listed below:

• Symptoms of hypoglycemia? - e.g. early symptoms include sweating, tremor, palpitations, hunger, pins and needles around the mouth. Later may have a loss of consciousness and coma.
• Past medical history? - e.g. liver failure, terminal kidney failure, hypopituitarism and Addison's disease may cause hypoglycemia.
• Past surgical history? - e.g. low blood sugar occurring after meals can sometimes occur after gastric surgery, due to rapid gastric emptying and mismatching of food and insulin.
• Medications? - Oral hypoglycemic medications, notably sulphonylureas and insulin may cause low blood sugar and the dosage may have to be reduced. Propanolol, quinine and pentamidine may also cause hypoglycaemia.
• Alcohol history? - alcohol may cause reduced blood sugar. The person who substitutes alcoholic beverage for lunch is particularly at risk, as is the poorly nourished chronic alcoholic.

See Diagnosis Checklist for Hypoglycemia (13 listings)

Diagnosis Checklist: Associated symptoms your doctor may ask about (and why!)

Sometimes, other symptoms may be present and may help your doctor analyse your condition. The symptoms your doctor may ask about (in association with Hypoglycemia) may include:

• Weight gain and /or episode of loss of consciousness? - would strongly suggest an insulinoma as the cause.
• Symptoms of malaria? - e.g. chills, paroxysms of fevers, sweating, fatigue, exhaustion, headaches. Severe falciparum malaria may be complicated by hypoglycemia, especially in children.
• Symptoms of Addison's disease? - symptoms are often vague but may include e.g. weight loss, loss of appetite, tiredness, weakness, fever, depression, lack of menstrual periods, impotence, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, confusion, fainting, abdominal pain, constipation, muscle aches.
• Symptoms of insulinoma? - Symptoms are associated with fasting or exercise e.g. double vision, sweating, palpitations, weakness, confusion, abnormal behavior, loss of consciousness or seizures.
• Symptoms of Simmond's disease? - e.g. usually develops after childbirth due to lack of blood supply to the pituitary during an episode of low blood pressure during delivery. Characterised by weakness, loss of weight, loss of body hair, low blood pressure and symptoms of low thyroid, adrenal and gonadal function.

See Diagnosis Checklist for Hypoglycemia (13 listings)

Stories from Users for Hypoglycemia

Real-life user stories relating to Hypoglycemia:

• Hypoglycemia?
• Help!!!Exhibiting signs of Hypoglycemia!!
• 1 year old - undiagnosed fast breather/low oxygen levels
• hypoglycaemia
• blood glucose test anomaly
• I my tsh level too low?
• hypoglycemia
• Diet not helping Reactive Hypoglycemia help!
• low b12 levels
• Normal glucose, normal TSH, low prolactin, galactorrhea, hypoglycemia
• (help pls)tsh level is too low from 0.08 to 0.02 (is this worst?)
• If i eat I get symptoms, if I don't I will die :-p
• Hypoglycemia or something else?
• hypoglycemia and hypersomnia
• low blood levels

Videos for Hypoglycemia

Patient Surveys for Hypoglycemia

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Causes of Hypoglycemia listed in Disease Database:

Other medical conditions listed in the Disease Database as possible causes of Hypoglycemia as a symptom include:

• Acetohexamide
• Adrenal cortex insufficiency
• Amprenavir
• Autoimmune adrenalitis
• Carnitine deficiency (systemic)
• Chloramphenicol
• Chlorpromazine
• Chlorpropamide
• Delayed separation blood sample
• Dihydrolipoamide dehydrogenase deficiency
• Dopamine beta-hydroxylase deficiency
• Drip arm sample
• Ethanol
• Ethionamide
• Fructose intolerance
• Fructose-1, 6-diphosphatase deficiency
• Glibenclamide
• Gliclazide
• Glimepiride
• Glipizide

See full list of 180 causes of Hypoglycemia
- (Source - Diseases Database)

Medications or substances causing Hypoglycemia:

The following drugs, medications, substances or toxins are some of the possible causes of Hypoglycemia as a symptom. Always advise your doctor of any medications or treatments you are using, including prescription, over-the-counter, supplements, herbal or alternative treatments.

• Insulin
• Insulin injections
• Insulin pumps
• Diabetes pills
• Alcohol

See full list of 6 medications causing Hypoglycemia

Drug interactions causing Hypoglycemia:

When combined, certain drugs, medications, substances or toxins may react causing Hypoglycemia as a symptom. Always advise your doctor of any medications or treatments you are using, including prescription, over-the-counter, supplements, herbal or alternative treatments.

• Acitretin and Glyburide interaction
• Lisinopril and antidiabetes drug interaction
• Prinvil and antidiabetes drug interaction
• Zestril and antidiabetes drug interaction
• Lisinopril and insulin interaction

See full list of 1608 drug interactions causing Hypoglycemia

Article Excerpts about Hypoglycemia

Glucose, a form of sugar, is the body's main fuel. Hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar, occurs when blood levels of glucose drop too low to fuel the body's activity. (Source: excerpt from Hypoglycemia: NIDDK)

Hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar, is not diabetes but may occur as a complication of diabetes, as a condition in itself, or in association with other disorders. Hypoglycemia occurs when levels of glucose, the body's main fuel, drop too low to fuel the body's activity. Carbohydrates (sugars and starches) are the body's main dietary sources of glucose. During digestion, the glucose is absorbed into the blood stream (hence the term "blood sugar"), which carries it to every cell in the body. Unused glucose is stored in the liver as glycogen. In the case of hypoglycemia, the mechanism for converting stored glucose (glycogen) back into usable glucose energy (glucose) by the body is faulty. The process normally involves the liver and other organs as well as various hormones. (Source: excerpt from Diabetes: NWHIC)

Glucose, a form of sugar, is the body's main fuel. Hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar, occurs when blood levels of glucose drop too low to fuel the body's activity. (Source: excerpt from Hypoglycemia: NIDDK)

Hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar, is not diabetes but may occur as a complication of diabetes, as a condition in itself, or in association with other disorders. Hypoglycemia occurs when levels of glucose, the body's main fuel, drop too low to fuel the body's activity. Carbohydrates (sugars and starches) are the body's main dietary sources of glucose. During digestion, the glucose is absorbed into the blood stream (hence the term "blood sugar"), which carries it to every cell in the body. Unused glucose is stored in the liver as glycogen. In the case of hypoglycemia, the mechanism for converting stored glucose (glycogen) back into usable glucose energy (glucose) by the body is faulty. The process normally involves the liver and other organs as well as various hormones. (Source: excerpt from Diabetes: NWHIC)

Definitions of Hypoglycemia:

Hypoglycemia: Symptoms resulting from low blood glucose (normal glucose range 60-100 mg/dL [3.3-5.6 mmol/L]), which are either autonomic or neuroglycopenic. Autonomic symptoms include sweating, trembling, feelings of warmth, anxiety, and nausea. Neuroglycopenic symptoms include feelings of dizziness, confusion, tiredness, difficulty speaking, headache, and inability to concentrate. SYN: glucopenia.
Source: Stedman's Medical Spellchecker, © 2006 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. All rights reserved.

A syndrome of abnormally low BLOOD GLUCOSE level. Clinical hypoglycemia has diverse etiologies. Severe hypoglycemia eventually lead to glucose deprivation of the CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM resulting in HUNGER; SWEATING; PARESTHESIA; impaired mental function; SEIZURES; COMA; and even DEATH.
- (Source - Diseases Database)

Abnormally low blood sugar usually resulting from excessive insulin or a poor diet
- (Source - WordNet 2.1)

Syndrome of abnormally low blood glucose level; clinical hypoglycemia has diverse etiologies; severe hypoglycemia eventually lead to glucose deprivation of the central nervous system resulting in hunger, sweating, paresthesia, impaired mental function, seizures, coma, and even death.
- (Source - CRISP)

Abnormally low blood sugar.
- (Source - National Cancer Institute)

Detailed list of causes of Hypoglycemia

The list below shows some of the causes of Hypoglycemia mentioned in various sources:

• 3-methylglutaconic aciduria, type 4 - low blood sugar
• ACAD9 deficiency - hypoglycemia
• Acetohexamide
• Achalasia - addisonianism - alacrima syndrome - low blood sugar
• Achalasia - Addisonianism - Alacrimia syndrome - low blood sugar

See full list of 180 causes of Hypoglycemia

How Common are these Causes of Hypoglycemia?

This information refers to the general prevalence and incidence of these diseases, not to how likely they are to be the actual cause of Hypoglycemia. Of the 180 causes of Hypoglycemia that we have listed, we have the following prevalence/incidence information:

• 2 causes are "very common" diseases
• 0 causes are "common" diseases
• 1 causes are "uncommon" diseases
• 1 causes are "rare" diseases
• 4 causes are "very rare" diseases
• 176 causes have no prevalence information.

See the analysis of the prevalence of 180 causes of Hypoglycemia

Conditions listing symptoms: Hypoglycemia:

The following list of conditions have 'Hypoglycemia' or similar listed as a symptom in our database. This computer-generated list may be inaccurate or incomplete. Always seek prompt professional medical advice about the cause of any symptom.

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Causes of Hypoglycemia Based on Risk Factors

This information shows analysis of the list of causes of Hypoglycemia based on whether certain risk factors apply to the patient: