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Hypoglycemia (Low Blood Sugar) in People Without Diabetes - Exams and Tests
Doctors diagnose hypoglycemia using a medical history, physical exam, and tests to check the blood sugar level.
In general, you are diagnosed with hypoglycemia if you have a low blood sugar level and symptoms that go away after you have taken glucose to restore your blood sugar level.1
Medical history
Your doctor will ask questions about:
- What symptoms you typically have-how long they last, when they occur, how often they occur, and what happens to your symptoms when you eat something.
- Past medical treatments, current medical conditions, and whether you are taking medicines (bring all medicines, both prescription and nonprescription, to your appointment for review) or receiving other treatment.
- Diet and nutrition, such as what and when you eat, and whether you have had recent changes in your eating or bowel habits.
- Whether you have gained or lost weight recently.
Because an episode of hypoglycemia can impair mental functioning, your doctor may also want to talk to friends or relatives who have seen your symptoms.
Physical exam
Your doctor also will look for conditions that may cause hypoglycemia, including signs of:
- Liver disease, such as an enlarged liver.
- Kidney disease, such as swelling (edema), and too much urea in the blood.
- Malnutrition, such as extreme weight loss.
- Adrenal gland disease, such as too much pigment (color) in the skin and/or low blood pressure.
Primary laboratory tests
Often hypoglycemia is a complication of diabetes treatment. If you are not being treated for diabetes or another obvious cause of low blood sugar, you will have tests to confirm hypoglycemia. Ideally, your doctor would like to do these tests when you are experiencing symptoms. But because this is usually not possible, you probably will have tests that try to reproduce symptoms. These tests are usually done in a clinic or a hospital.
In some cases, home glucose monitors, which are often used by people who have diabetes, may be used to evaluate possible hypoglycemia. But a low blood sugar reading needs to be confirmed by these formal laboratory tests:
- Overnight fast. You will be asked not to eat overnight, and you will have your blood sugar and insulin levels checked the following morning. In many cases, this test will tell your doctor if you have fasting hypoglycemia.
- Prolonged supervised fast. The primary test for hypoglycemia is a prolonged (48- to 72-hour) supervised fast. You will be asked to fast until the symptoms of moderate low blood sugar develop or until blood glucose levels drop below 45 mg/dL. If at the end of 72 hours you do not have low blood sugar, you may be asked to exercise for 30 minutes. This test also can help your doctor find out why confirmed hypoglycemia is occurring.
WebMD Medical Reference from Healthwise
Hypoglycemia (Low Blood Sugar) in People Without Diabetes Topics
Indication
Uroxatral® (alfuzosin HCl 10 mg extended-release tablets) is an alpha1-blocker for the treatment of the signs and symptoms of BPH.
Important Safety Information
Do not take UROXATRAL if you have liver problems or if you are taking antifungal drugs like ketoconazole or itraconazole, or HIV drugs like ritonavir.
UROXATRAL can cause a sudden drop in blood pressure, especially when starting treatment. This may lead to fainting, dizziness, and lightheadedness. Do not drive, operate machinery, or do any dangerous activity until you know how UROXATRAL will affect you. This is especially important if you already have a problem with low blood pressure or take medicines to treat high blood pressure. There may be an increased risk of low blood pressure and fainting when taking UROXATRAL in combination with blood pressure medication or nitrates, or erectile dysfunction medication.
If considering cataract surgery (clouding of the eyes), tell your eye surgeon that you are currently taking UROXATRAL or have previously been treated with an alpha-blocker.
Before taking UROXATRAL, tell your doctor if you have kidney problems.
Also, tell your doctor if you or any family member(s) have or take medications for a rare heart condition known as congenital prolongation of the QT interval.
BPH and prostate cancer can cause the same symptoms. However, UROXATRAL is not a treatment for prostate cancer.
The most common side effects with UROXATRAL are dizziness, upper respiratory tract infection, headache, and tiredness.
Please see UROXATRAL full prescribing information.
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