CAUSES HYPOGLYCAEMIA

causes

At a Hypoglycaemia a distinction is made between the following causes:

reactive hypoglycaemia = postprandial hypoglycemia

Fasting hypoglycemia

exogenous hypoglycemia

Reactive hypoglycemia: The reactive respectively postprandiale Causes of hypoglycaemia occurs after meals. The cause of this form of hypoglycaemia can be a beginning Diabetes mellitus (Diabetes), Malfunctions related to the Stomach (Gastric emptying, absence of stomach parts after surgery with Dumping syndrome), Causes by vegetative disorder (increased vagal tone, part of the Parasympathetic nervous system) or hereditary diseases (for example a Fructose intolerance).

With gastric emptying disorders and with Dumping syndrome The causes of hypoglycaemia are the passage of food and thus the glucose uptake via the gastrointestinal tract and the reactive insulin release of the body no longer coordinated. There insulin always with Sugar intake is released, but with the disorders described, the glucose is delayed from the Intestines is consumed, the blood sugar level drops very sharply without first being “replenished”, so that the result is hypoglycaemia.

Fasting hypoglycaemia: Hypoglycemia regardless of food intake when fasting can have various causes. There are various types of tumors (including insulinoma (insulin-forming tumor), liver cell tumor), liver diseases and hormonal disorders due to poor function of the adrenal cortex (cortisone) or the pituitary gland. In addition, certain storage diseases (glycogenoses), kidney diseases or enlargement (Hyperplasia) of the insulin-producing cells of the pancreas result in such a form of hypoglycaemia.

Exogenous hypoglycemia: The last form, the exogenous causes of hypoglycaemia, arises from outside influences (exogenous), for example in diabetics by giving too much insulin or antidiabetic acting drugs (Sulfonylureas), in the case of non-diabetics after the medication has not indicated the consumption of the drugs mentioned (in the case of mental illness, as a suicide attempt) Exogenous hypoglycaemia can also be caused by excessive alcohol consumption without food intake (inhibition of the formation of new glucose by alcohol) or by the interactions between drugs.

Hypoglygcemia in diabetics: Hypoglycemia in diabetes mellitus (diabetes) is known to be an important complication that must be avoided and can be triggered by the following factors:

relative overdose of insulin or sulfonylureas (antidiabetic)

absolute overdose of insulin or sulphonylureas

Interaction with tablets, which also lower blood sugar

strong physical exertion

Alcohol consumption (inhibition of the formation of new glucose by alcohol)

An absolute overdose as the cause of hypoglycaemia is understood as the intake of too much insulin or sulfonylureas, which lower blood sugar so much that hypoglycaemia occurs. A relative overdose, on the other hand, occurs when, in the case of acute illness (e.g. infections), food intake is reduced while the drug dose remains the same. Since the sugar intake through diet is reduced, the blood sugar level drops to the same extent as before, but to a lower end value, so that hypoglycaemia occurs.