Most people with diabetes can sense when their blood sugar is dropping long before it becomes dangerous. But some can't, and the consequences can be fatal.
More than 25 million Americans are living with diabetes and most can tell when their blood sugar is too low. But a small percentage live with a condition called hypoglycemia unawareness. For them, the first warning of trouble may be that they collapse to the floor, unable to even call for help.
Hypoglycemia or low blood sugar occurs when the body is unable to process glucose properly.
During digestion, food is broken down into various sugar molecules, including glucose, the body’s main source of energy. The pancreas is then designed to kick in and release insulin which keeps the glucose in the blood at safe levels. But, in people with diabetes, the system isn’t working and if glucose levels drop dangerously low, hypoglycemia results.
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