Glucagon

Introduction: Glucagon

Glucagon as a treatment is an emergency injection used when a diabetic has a dangerous hypo from very low blood sugars. Glucagon is usually only used if eating or drinking sugars and other rapid-acting sweet foods fail, and the diabetic goes unconscious. Glucagon works for all types of diabetes, and both Type 1 diabetics on insulin and Type 2 diabetics on diabetes pills can have dangerous hypos. Diet-only Type 2 diabetics probably will not have hypos, and are thus less likely to need glucagon until their treatment moves on to pills.

Glucagon emergency kits are available for home use, usually by prescription. Glucagon kits are a good safety net for parents with a diabetic child. They are also good for diabetic adults. You might even consider having more than one glucagon kit, at home, work, or other places you frequent. It can be advisable to take one when travelling.

Descriptions of Glucagon

Glucagon: A hormone produced by the pancreas that increases the level of glucose (sugar) in the blood.
Source: National Institute of Health

Glucagon: A pancreatic hormone consisting of 29 amino acids that causes increases in blood sugar levels by stimulating hepatic glycogenolysis and gluconeogenesis.
Source: Diseases Database

Glucagon : pancreatic hormone secreted by the alpha cells of the pancreatic islets; a 29-amino acid straight chain polypeptide that plays an important role in regulation of blood glucose concentration, ketone metabolism, and several other biochemical and physiological processes.
Source: CRISP

Basic Information: Glucagon

Glucagon: Hormone that stimulates the liver to produce glucose.

Count: Glucagon is listed as a: treatment for 2 conditions; alternative treatment for 0 conditions; preventive treatment for 0 conditions; research treatment for 0 conditions.

Treatments: list of all treatments

List of Diseases with Glucagon as a Treatment

The following list of conditions have 'Glucagon' or similar listed as a treatment in our database:

B