TALK hypos campaign launched to improve hypo management
TALK hypos is a new campaign which aims to increase awareness of hypos and spur better treatment and prevention of hypos in people with diabetes.
Hypoglycemia (low blood glucose levels) can be dangerous for people with diabetes on specific medication, namely insulin, sulphonylureas and glinides (prandial glucose regulators). If hypos are not treated quickly in people on these medications, blood glucose levels can drop to dangerously low levels called a severe hypo, requiring help from someone else and can require hospitalisation. Around 18% of hospital admissions for diabetes complications are as a result of severe hypoglycemia.
One of the problems that can lead to severe hypos developing is lack of awareness about the dangers of hypos. This can be a common problem if doctors that prescribe hypo causing medication do not adequately discuss the risks of hypos. Another problem is a condition called hypo unawareness which is when people are unable to recognise the early symptoms of hypos. A consequence of this is that severe hypos can occur without warning.
Loss of hypo awareness is likely to occur in people that are spending significant amounts of time in a state of low blood glucose level. Awareness of hypo symptoms can return if low …read more
Source:: News from Diabetes.co.uk