Pharmacology Update: Emergency Medications for Hypoglycemia in Diabetes

2021 ◽  
pp. 1942602X2098164
Author(s):  
Carol Schaumleffel

Children and adults with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes are at risk for severe hypoglycemia, an unpredictable and potentially life-threatening situation. Severe hypoglycemia creates low blood glucose levels in which a person has an altered mental status or physical symptoms that require assistance from another individual to treat the hypoglycemia. Treatment of severe hypoglycemia is a medical emergency and prompt treatment is important for the well-being of students with diabetes. If left untreated, severe hypoglycemia can lead to death. Glucagon is a medication used to treat severe hypoglycemia outside of a healthcare facility. Recently, more stable and easier to use formulations of glucagon have become available. The purpose of this pharmacology update is to describe two new formulations of ready to use glucagon: an intranasal and subcutaneous, autoinjector formulation.

2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (15) ◽  
pp. 3646 ◽  
Author(s):  
Antonio E. Pontiroli ◽  
Elena Tagliabue

Episodes of hypoglycemia are frequent in patients with diabetes treated with insulin or sulphonylureas. Hypoglycemia can lead to severe acute complications, and, as such, both prevention and treatment of hypoglycemia are important for the well-being of patients with diabetes. The experience of hypoglycemia also leads to fear of hypoglycemia, that in turn can limit optimal glycemic control in patients, especially with type 1 diabetes. Treatment of hypoglycemia is still based on administration of carbohydrates (oral or parenteral according to the level of consciousness) or of glucagon (intramuscular or subcutaneous injection). In 1983, it was shown for the first time that intranasal (IN) glucagon drops (with sodium glycocholate as a promoter) increase blood glucose levels in healthy volunteers. During the following decade, several authors showed the efficacy of IN glucagon (drops, powders, and sprays) to resolve hypoglycemia in normal volunteers and in patients with diabetes, both adults and children. Only in 2010, based on evaluation of patients’ beliefs and patients’ expectations, a canadian pharmaceutical company (Locemia Solutions, Montreal, Canada) reinitiated efforts to develop glucagon for IN administration. The project has been continued by Eli Lilly, that is seeking to obtain registration in order to make IN glucagon available to insulin users (children and adolescents) worldwide. IN glucagon is as effective as injectable glucagon, and devoid of most of the technical difficulties associated with administration of injectable glucagon. IN glucagon appears to represent a major breakthrough in the treatment of severe hypoglycemia in insulin-treated patients with diabetes, both children and adults.


PEDIATRICS ◽  
1973 ◽  
Vol 52 (3) ◽  
pp. 372-381
Author(s):  
Thomas F. Roe ◽  
Ann K. Kershnar ◽  
Jordan J. Weitzman ◽  
Luis Salinas Madrigal

A large newborn infant with hemihypertrophy, omphalocele, hepatomegaly, left upper quadrant abdominal mass, and zoster-like skin rash had severe hypoglycemia at 4 hours of age. Serum immunoreactive insulin levels were markedly elevated. Hypoglycemia was not controlled by vigorous medical therapy but blood glucose levels returned toward normal following subtotal excision of the markedly hyperplastic pancreas at 24 days of age. At 4½ months of age, a right upper quadrant abdominal mass was noted and urinary adrenal steroid levels were elevated. The right adrenal gland was found to be markedly hyperplastic and it was removed; the left adrenal gland was slightly hyperplastic. Between the ages of 5 and 8 months the umbilical stump enlarged progressively forming a large pedunculated tumor which was removed. This patient presents an unusually severe example of Beckwith's syndrome with both prenatal and postnatal organ overgrowth, severe hypoglycemia and hyperinsulinism.


2019 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 198-203 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria M. Disotuar ◽  
Diao Chen ◽  
Nai-Pin Lin ◽  
Danny Hung-Chieh Chou

Although insulin analogs have markedly improved glycemic control for people with diabetes, glycemic excursions still cause major health problems and complications. In particular, the narrow therapeutic window of current insulin therapy makes it extremely difficult to maintain normoglycemia without risking severe hypoglycemia. Currently, there are no FDA-approved insulin therapeutics whose bioactivity is regulated by blood glucose levels. This review discusses recent progress on developing glucose-responsive insulin (GRI) bioconjugates without the need of exogenous matrices. Through this approach, tremendous efforts have been made over the years to demonstrate the promise of better glycemic control and reduced risk of hypoglycemia. Last, we discuss future directions of GRI development with a goal to maximize the glucose responsiveness.


2016 ◽  
Vol 174 (6) ◽  
pp. 717-726 ◽  
Author(s):  
R Martínez ◽  
C Fernández-Ramos ◽  
A Vela ◽  
T Velayos ◽  
A Aguayo ◽  
...  

Context Congenital hyperinsulinism (CHI) is a clinically and genetically heterogeneous disease characterized by severe hypoglycemia caused by inappropriate insulin secretion by pancreatic β-cells. Objective To characterize clinically and genetically CHI patients in Spain. Design and methods We included 50 patients with CHI from Spain. Clinical information was provided by the referring clinicians. Mutational analysis was carried out for KCNJ11, ABCC8, and GCK genes. The GLUD1, HNF4A, HNF1A, UCP2, and HADH genes were sequenced depending on the clinical phenotype. Results We identified the genetic etiology in 28 of the 50 CHI patients tested: 21 had a mutation in KATP channel genes (42%), three in GLUD1 (6%), and four in GCK (8%). Most mutations were found in ABCC8 (20/50). Half of these patients (10/20) were homozygous or compound heterozygous, with nine being unresponsive to diazoxide treatment. The other half had heterozygous mutations in ABCC8, six of them being unresponsive to diazoxide treatment and four being responsive to diazoxide treatment. We identified 22 different mutations in the KATP channel genes, of which ten were novel. Notably, patients with ABCC8 mutations were diagnosed earlier, with lower blood glucose levels and required higher doses of diazoxide than those without a genetic diagnosis. Conclusions Genetic analysis revealed mutations in 56% of the CHI patients. ABCC8 mutations are the most frequent cause of CHI in Spain. We found ten novel mutations in the KATP channel genes. The genetic diagnosis is more likely to be achieved in patients with onset within the first week of life and in those who fail to respond to diazoxide treatment.


2020 ◽  
pp. 28-30
Author(s):  
O.A. Halushko

Background. Deep and multifaceted disorders during the perioperative period can lead to severe metabolic disorders that are life-threatening and require immediate care. Such conditions include the disorders of carbohydrate metabolism (CHM). Objective. To describe CHM disorders in the perioperative period and the possibility of their correction. Materials and methods. Analysis of literature sources on this topic. Results and discussion. The pathogenesis of CHM disorders in the perioperative period includes such links as the impact of surgical stress and/or infections, relative insulin deficiency, increased production of ketone bodies etc. Grades of CHM disorders include compensation (normoglycemia, aglucosuria), subcompensation (moderate glycemia (up to 13.9 mmol/L), slight glucosuria), and decompensation (high glycemia, significant glucosuria, ketone bodies). The main tasks of preoperative preparation in patients with CHM disorders include CHM normalization, correction of volemic disorders, maximum compensation of renal function, prevention and treatment of infectious complications. Glycemic levels in perioperative CHM disorders are highly variable and are not always associated with the severity of the condition, although glycemia >30 mmol/L is usually associated with severe diabetic ketoacidosis. Surgery is one of the triggers of stress hyperglycemia (for patients without diabetes, the glucose level in these cases is 7.7-11.0 mmol/L). In the treatment of persistent hyperglycemia in hospitalized patients, insulin therapy should be initiated, starting from a blood glucose threshold of 10.0 mmol/L. The target is 7.8-10.0 mmol/L. Ketoacidotic coma is an absolute contraindication to surgery due to concomitant severe water-electrolyte disorders. Surgery for vital indications can be performed only after restorative measures in 3-4 hours after recovery of consciousness and reduction of glycemia to <15 mmol/L. Only profuse, life-threatening bleeding can be the basis for reducing the time and volume of preoperative preparation of a patient with diabetes decompensation. Criteria of readiness for surgery include normal or close to normal blood glucose levels, adequate hydration and elimination of ketoacidosis. In patients with severe diabetes, relative compensation (8.8-10.0 mmol/L) can be used as a criterion. Most researchers recommend transitioning patients with impaired CHM to simple insulin injections before surgery. Insulin concentration is important for wound healing and prevention of purulent complications. Sodium bicarbonate or Soda-Bufer (“Yuria-Pharm”) can be used to correct metabolic acidosis. Ketogenesis should be eliminated with xylitol (Xylate, “Yuria-Pharm”). Routine glucose use in critically ill patients has been abandoned. Conclusions. 1. Many patients in the perioperative period develop CHM disorders, which worsen the course of the underlying disease. 2. The main tasks of preoperative preparation in patients with CHM disorders are CHM normalization, correction of volemic disorders, maximum compensation of renal function, prevention and treatment of infectious complications. 3. In the treatment of persistent hyperglycemia in hospitalized patients, insulin therapy should be started, starting from the glycemic threshold of 10.0 mmol/L. 4. Ketoacidotic coma is an absolute contraindication to surgery due to concomitant severe water-electrolyte disorders. 5. Criteria of readiness for surgery include normal or close to normal blood glucose levels, adequate hydration and elimination of ketoacidosis. 6. Sodium bicarbonate or Soda-Bufer can be used to correct metabolic acidosis. 7. Ketogenesis should be eliminated with Xylate.


2017 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-14 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ben Bradley

Suppose you find yourself in a situation in which you can either save both A and B or save only C. A, B and C are relevantly similar – all are strangers to you, none is more deserving of life than any other, none is responsible for being in a life-threatening situation, and so on. John Taurek argued that when deciding what to do in such a situation, you should flip a coin, thereby giving each of A, B and C a 50% chance of survival (Taurek 1977: 303). Only by doing this can we treat each person with the appropriate degree of respect. Taurek seemed to be employing the “Equal Greatest Chance” principle (EGC), according to which, when deciding whom to save, one must give each person the greatest possible chance of survival consistent with everyone else having the same chance. An obvious alternative is the “Save the Greater Number” principle (SGN). I describe an example that shows that EGC is false. I show that the example also demonstrates the falsity of other related views, including Jens Timmermann’s “Individualist Lottery Principle.” I conclude that SGN is true. And I extend the argument to other kinds of cases, showing that which person should be saved may depend on whether some additional well-being may be gained for someone in the process.


2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (9) ◽  
pp. e122996988
Author(s):  
Ellys Cristina Eleonor Pereira Torres ◽  
Jéssica Costa de Oliveira ◽  
Luanne Eugênia Nunes ◽  
Franciso Ernesto de Souza Neto ◽  
Rosueti Diógenes de Oliveira-Filho

Gestational Diabetes Mellitus is a condition characterized by an increase in blood glucose levels, which can be initiated or diagnosed during pregnancy. This process occurs due to the production of high levels of hormones by the placenta, most of which are harmful to the action of insulin in the cells increasing the blood sugar level and can affect the growth and well-being of the fetus. Among the drugs used, Metformin Hydrochloride is an oral hypoglycemic drug used to treat Diabetes Mellitus. The present study aimed to elaborate a systematic review on the use of metformin hydrochloride in the treatment of gestational diabetes mellitus. The searches were carried out in the SciElo and Google Acadêmico databases. 763 articles were found in the initial research and after the analysis of the pre-analytical phases, only 6 were selected, since they met the inclusion criteria. After extracting the data, a relationship was made between the use of metformin with the various forms of therapy used in the studies and it was shown that metformin is a drug well applied as monotherapy, being used by 40 % of individuals in one of the studies analyzed and it is also well accepted in combination therapy with insulin in patients who have resistance to it, due to metformin being a drug with easy access and easy dosage. It is concluded that metformin is a safe, effective, low-cost and widely accepted drug for pregnant women who use it in the treatment of gestational Diabetes Mellitus.


Author(s):  
Susan McClement ◽  
Genevieve Thompson

Individuals living with life-limiting illness experience a myriad of physical, psychosocial and existential challenges. Psychosocial care is an holistic approach that aims to mitigate the distress engendered by these challenges. One important facet of such care includes tending to patient dignity. This chapter discusses what dignity is, why it is important, and how dignity conserving care can be weaved into daily clinical encounters. Palliative care is a type of health care for individuals facing life-threatening illness and their families that involves ongoing evaluation and management of a person’s pain and other physical symptoms. It also involves the provision of psychosocial care—care that attends to a person’s emotional, social, and spiritual well-being. This whole-person approach to the care of individuals is concerned with addressing a range of needs that can improve quality of life.


2019 ◽  
Vol 24 (8) ◽  
pp. 536-544 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael R Narvey ◽  
Seth D Marks

Abstract Hypoglycemia in the first hours to days after birth remains one of the most common conditions facing practitioners across Canada who care for newborns. Many cases represent normal physiologic transition to extrauterine life, but another group experiences hypoglycemia of longer duration. This statement addresses key issues for providers of neonatal care, including the definition of hypoglycemia, risk factors, screening protocols, blood glucose levels requiring intervention, and managing care for this condition. Screening, monitoring, and intervention protocols have been revised to better identify, manage, and treat infants who are at risk for persistent, recurrent, or severe hypoglycemia. The role of dextrose gels in raising glucose levels or preventing more persistent hypoglycemia, and precautions to reduce risk for recurrence after leaving hospital, are also addressed. This statement differentiates between approaches to care for hypoglycemia during the ‘transitional’ phase—the first 72 hours post-birth—and persistent hypoglycemia, which occurs or presents for the first time past that point.


Author(s):  
Ramya P ◽  
Lavanya Krishnadhas

Diabetes mellitus is a common metabolic disorder in which the human body does not produce insulin hormone, this leads to the increase in blood glucose levels. Diabetes infects more than 387 million individuals globally, posing a significant threat to both personal well-being and global economies. Normally, medicinal plants are highly used for the treatment of diabetes mellitus but some spices also have the efficiency to treat diabetes. Still, spices which we are using as ingredients plays important role in foods also have the ability to treat diabetes. This article describes the anti-diabetic activity of those medicinal spices.


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