Citation

Graveling AJ, Frier BM. Prim. Care Diabetes 2009; 3(3): 131-139.

Affiliation

Department of Diabetes, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4SA, United Kingdom.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2009, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.pcd.2009.08.007

PMID

19782016

Abstract

Hypoglycaemia is a frequent side-effect of treatment with insulin and sulfonylureas for people with diabetes, threatening potentially serious morbidity and preventing optimal glycaemic control. Fear of hypoglycaemia and development of syndromes such as impaired awareness and counterregulatory deficiency provide additional hazards for intensification of treatment. Rapid lowering of HbA1c may be potentially dangerous in type 2 diabetes because of the adverse cardiovascular effects induced by hypoglycaemia. Hypoglycaemia can disrupt many everyday activities such as driving, work performance and recreational pursuits. Measures to reduce the risk of hypoglycaemia are labour-intensive and require substantial resources.

Language: en