[Diagnosis and assessment of hypoglycemia in patients with diabetes mellitus]

Abstract

Hypoglycaemic episodes are rather common among diabetic patients, especially those treated with sulfonylureas or insulin (more in type 1 than in type 2 diabetes). The presentation of hypoglycaemia may considerably vary from patient-to-patient and from time-to-time in a given patient. With the illustration of a clinical case, we will describe the characteristics of the three main types of hypoglycaemia: severe hypoglycaemia (with or without coma), symptomatic hypoglycaemia (with or without confirmation) and asymptomatic hypoglycaemia ("hypoglycaemia unawareness") discovered as a low blood glucose measurement. We will also briefly analyse the reasons of such differences and the potential clinical consequences that these three main types of hypoglycaemia may exert in the real life of diabetic patients.