Thursday, May 23, 2013

Drug-induced hypoglycemia

Table of Contents

Definition

Drug-induced hypoglycemia is low blood sugar that results from medication.


Causes, incidence, and risk factors

All of the following can cause blood sugar (glucose) levels to drop:

  • Drinking alcohol
  • Getting too much activity
  • Intentionally or unintentionally overdosing on the medications used to treat diabetes
  • Missing meals

Even when diabetes is managed very carefully, the medications used to treat diabetes can result in drug-induced hypoglycemia. The condition may also occur when someone without diabetes takes a medicine used to treat diabetes. In rare cases, non-diabetes-related medicines may cause hypoglycemia.

Medications that can cause drug-induced hypoglycemia include:

  • Bactrim (an antibiotic)
  • Beta-blockers
  • Haloperidol
  • Insulin
  • MAO inhibitors
  • Metformin when used with sulfonylureas
  • Pentamidine
  • Quinidine
  • Quinine
  • Sulfonylureas

Review Date: 05/10/2010
Reviewed By: Ari S. Eckman, MD, Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)