ABSTRACT
Objective: to determine the causes of hypoglycemia in diabetics presenting at Liaquat University Hospital Hyderabad/Jamshoro
Study design: descriptive observational study
Place and duration: medical and Cardiology units of Liaquat University of Hospital Hyderabad Jamshoro, from June 2007 to May 2008
Patients and methods: one-hundred and one hypoglycemic cases were analyzed. A detailed enquiry about the presenting symptoms and mode of therapy was made. A thorough physical examination to look for diabetic complications and any concurrent illness was performed. Blood glucose was measured with the help of a Glucometer and response to glucose administration was also noted. Data were computed using SPSS software version 14. P-value up to 0.05 was considered significant
Results: type-2 diabetics presented more commonly with hypoglycemia in adult diabetic population 81/101 [80.1%]. Mean age for type-1 diabetics was 27.7 years and for type-2 diabetics 53.6 years. Male to female ratio was 3.3:1. Type-1 diabetic patients were either brittle diabetic with frequent dosage manipulations or those who had developed chronic complications. Majority of type-2 diabetics 74/81 [91.4%] were more than 40 years of age. Diabetic nephropathy, change in dose of hypoglycemic agents, missed meals, and use of concomitant medications were important associations with hypoglycemia in type 2 diabetic patients. All type-1 diabetics recovered completely after glucose administration. Amongst type 2 diabetics, 5 [6.41%] developed permanent disability and 6 [7.69%] patients died
Conclusion: the adult males having type 2 diabetes suffer more from this complication. Recognition of different causes of hypoglycemia in diabetes patients and prompt treatment of hypoglycemia is important to prevent complications. The reasons of developing hypoglycemia most of the times were on patient's hand