Carl Erik Mogensen
Keywords: Glucagon, hypoglycaemia.
Hypoglycaemia may be an important complication in the treatment of type 1 diabetes. When intravenous glucose is available, glucagon has no place in the treatment and certainly also many patients may be treated with glucose or sweet foods given orally. However, if the patients are not conscious or acting negatively, glucagon used intramuscularly or subcu-taneously is important in a dose of 1-2 mg [1-3].
Glucagon acts by activating the enzymes in hepatic cells that increase glycogenolysis and thereby increase the hepatic glucose production. Quite often, immediate clinical improvement is necessary to avoid the risk of neurological damage associated with severely low blood glucose. One problem might be that glucagon can be useless if hepatic stores of glycogen are depleted.
Relatives of patients with type 1 diabetes are quite often keen to use this kind of treatment. Glucagon is a safe and reliable alternative to intravenous glucose, which is, as mentioned, the most important and rapid restoration of blood glucose.
A glucagon emergency kit should be available in homes and family members should be instructed in the use of the kit in case of hypoglycaemia. It should be followed by the use of glucose as soon as possible.
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