Hypoglycemia Treatment

Self-Care at Home

• A glucose monitor is available for people to check their own blood sugars in the comfort and privacy of their own home.

• Usually this entails poking yourself in the finger to get a drop of blood.

• The blood is transferred to a special strip of paper that is then placed into the glucose meter, or glucometer, which analyzes the blood. This gives a numeric reading that corresponds to the blood glucose.

• If you find someone who has the symptoms of hypoglycemia, look for clues that explain the symptoms.

• If the person still has his or her insulin and a recently disposed needle, you can presume that a change in their level of consciousness may be due to hypoglycemia (they have accidentally taken too much insulin).

• If the person is awake enough to drink something, you can give them a cup of orange juice with sugar. If hypoglycemia was the cause of their confusion, they will improve after a few minutes.