Approach to Hypoglycemia

Definition of hypoglycemia

Type Clinical features 
Hypoglycemia 
  • Usually defined as blood sugar < 70 mg/dL 
Postprandial (reactive) hypoglycemia 
  • Hypoglycemia within 4 hours after a meal 
  • Evaluation required to determine the cause 
Postprandial syndrome (functional hypoglycemia) 
  • Increased sympathetic activity after meals 
    • Anxiety 
    • Palpitations 
    • Sweating 
    • Tremor 
    • Weakness 
  • Likely not a true hypoglycemic disorder 
    • Blood sugar is not always low with symptoms 
    • More likely a physiologic response 
(Next Lesson) Differential diagnosis of hypoglycemia in nondiabetics
Back to Approach to Hypoglycemia

No Comments

Comments are closed.