Hypoglycemia Symptoms

Epinephrine is among the major hormones released during hypoglycemia. Epinephrine causes the majority of the early symptoms of hypoglycemia.

Common symptoms of hypoglycemia include the following:

• trembling,
  
  
• clammy skin,
  
  
• palpitations (pounding or fast heart beats),
  
  
• anxiety,
  
  
• sweating,
  
  
• hunger, and
  
  
• irritability.

When the brain remains deprived of glucose, a later set of symptoms follows:

• difficulty in thinking,
  
  
• confusion,
  
  
• headache,
  
  
• seizures, and
  
  
• coma.
  
  

Ultimately, after significant coma or loss of consciousness, death can occur.

It is important to realize that with chronic or repeated hypoglycemia, the body does not respond as vigorously, so any hypoglycemic individual may display mild symptoms, or even experience no appreciable symptoms. Again, documentation of the blood glucose level is essential to confirm the diagnosis, with further testing to establish the specific cause if not known.