July 23, 2000
Hypoglycemia
Question from Niceville, Florida, USA:
I have a six year old daughter with type 1 diabetes. I have several family members and friends who tell me they are “hypoglycemic”. What causes people who are not on insulin to have hypoglycemia? Why does the pancreas release more insulin than needed, and why don’t people who are hypoglycemic need to do glucose testing for safety reasons?
Answer:
Blood sugar is affected by many other disorders in addition to diabetes. The list in my pediatric textbook has over 50 causes — many of which are exceedingly rare. I have found that many people who come to my practice and tell me that they are hypoglycemic have never had any formal testing done. In these cases, it is important to ensure an accurate diagnosis of hypoglycemia and treat the cause of the hypoglycemia. If it is indeed present, it can be important to monitor blood sugars.
MSB
