Page "Hypoglycemia" Paragraph 52

It may take longer to recover from severe hypoglycemia with unconsciousness or seizure even after restoration of normal blood glucose.

When a person has not been unconscious, failure of carbohydrate to reverse the symptoms in 10 – 15 minutes increases the likelihood that hypoglycemia was not the cause of the symptoms.

When severe hypoglycemia has persisted in a hospitalized patient, the amount of glucose required to maintain satisfactory blood glucose levels becomes an important clue to the underlying etiology.

Glucose requirements above 10 mg / kg / minute in infants, or 6 mg / kg / minute in children and adults are strong evidence for hyperinsulinism.

In this context this is referred to as the glucose infusion rate ( GIR ).

Finally, the blood glucose response to glucagon given when the glucose is low can also help distinguish among various types of hypoglycemia.

A rise of blood glucose by more than 30 mg / dl ( 1. 70 mmol / l ) suggests insulin excess as the probable cause of the hypoglycemia.