Definition
Drug-induced hypoglycemia is low blood sugar that results from medication.
Overview, Causes, & Risk Factors
All of the following can cause blood sugar (glucose) levels to drop:
- Drinking alcohol
- Getting too much activity
- Intentionally or unintentionally overdosing on the medications used to treat diabetes
- Missing meals
Even when diabetes is managed very carefully, the medications used to treat diabetes can result in drug-induced hypoglycemia. The condition may also occur when someone without diabetes takes a medicine used to treat diabetes. In rare cases, non-diabetes-related medicines may cause hypoglycemia.
Medications that can cause drug-induced hypoglycemia include:
- Bactrim (an antibiotic)
- Beta-blockers
- Haloperidol
- Insulin
- MAO inhibitors
- Metformin when used with sulfonylureas
- Pentamidine
- Quinidine
- Quinine
- Sulfonylureas
Pictures & Images
Food and insulin release
Insulin is a hormone secreted by the pancreas in response to increased glucose levels in the blood.
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Drug-induced hypoglycemia : Overview, Causes, & Risk Factors
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Drug-induced hypoglycemia : Symptoms & Signs, Diagnosis & Tests
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Drug-induced hypoglycemia : Treatment
Review Date : 6/17/2008
Reviewed By : Elizabeth H. Holt, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor of Medicine, Section of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Yale University. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.
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