What is Hypoglycemia? Hypoglycemia is low blood sugar. Blood sugar (glucose) is our body's main fuel.

Skipping a meal, not eating enough food, exercising too much, or taking too much insulin can cause blood sugar levels to drop too low. These low levels rob your body of glucose. When this happens, you may experience shakiness, sweating, and a pounding heart. These are some warning signs of hypoglycemia, a dangerous condition for people with diabetes. It is important for people with diabetes to closely monitor their blood sugar level. It helps control hypoglycemia. What Causes Hypoglycemia? Our bodies change the food we eat into glucose. During digestion, the glucose enters our blood stream. From there, two hormones called insulin and glucagon help the glucose enter our body cells. Insulin lowers blood sugar levels, and glucagon raises them. But a person with type 1 diabetes can't produce glucagon, so the body produces another hormone instead. That hormone is called epinephrine.

Hypoglycemia can be triggered by not eating often enough, eating too little food, too much physical activity without eating, or too much insulin. Symptoms like shakiness and sweating are your body's way of signaling that it needs help raising glucose levels. If glucose levels drop too low, you can lose consciousness or have seizures. This is called insulin shock or insulin reaction, and it is very dangerous.

Why is Hypoglycemia Dangerous? People with diabetes can usually tell when their blood sugar is low. But the more episodes of hypoglycemia you have, the harder it gets for your body to detect the next episode. This is because your body becomes less sensitive to the symptoms over time. This condition is called hypoglycemia unawareness. Hypoglycemia can even happen during sleep. This can be dangerous because you may not know your blood sugar is low and therefore not wake up to take glucose tablets.

Our brains need glucose to function properly. Recurrent hypoglycemia can damage the brain, causing confusion, abnormal behavior, and seizures. Young children with diabetes are especially at risk because their nervous system is still developing.

Can Hypoglycemia Be Controlled? Hypoglycemia can happen at any time, and it can be scary. But you can learn how to reduce the frequency and severity of episodes by keeping glucose levels as close to normal as possible. Exercise and insulin lower glucose levels. Food and stress raise them. The key to balancing glucose levels is consistency: regular meals, regular exercise, and regular insulin.

The first step in treating hypoglycemia is prevention. Prevention measures include not over-exercising and always eating a well balanced diet that contains sufficient amounts of carbohydrates. It is also important not to go on starvation or fasting diets and not to drink alcohol or to drink in moderation. Prevention of hypoglycemia cause by an insulin reaction in people with diabetes includes regular frequent monitoring of blood sugar levels, counting carbohydrates, and following a well-balanced healthy diet and a regular aerobic exerciseprogram recommended by a licensed health care provider. Persons at risk for hypoglycemia, such as people with diabetes should wear a Medic-Alert bracelet or other form of medical identification. Treatment of hypoglycemia involves ingesting foods and/or fluids that contain glucose. In severe cases, in which a person has become confused, unconsciousness, or may be unable to swallow food or fluid, glucose is given via intramuscular injection or intravenously.

The underlying disease, disorder and condition that occur with or cause hypoglycemia also require treatment to prevent or minimize future episodes of hypoglycemia. Treatment plans are individualized depending on the cause, the presence of other coexisting diseases, the age of the patient, and other factors. Read more at http://www.wrongdiagnosis.com/h/hypoglycemia/treatments.htm?ktrack=kcplink

Latest Treatments for Hypoglycemia Some of the more recent treatments for Hypoglycemia include:

Oral glucose Thiamine Dextrose more treatments...

Read more at http://www.wrongdiagnosis.com/h/hypoglycemia/research.htm?ktrack=kcplink

Important information about Viagra

Do not take Viagra if you are also using a nitrate drug for chest pain or heart problems. This includes nitroglycerin (Nitrostat, Nitrolingual, Nitro-Dur, Nitro-Bid, and others), isosorbide dinitrate (Dilatrate-SR, Isordil, Sorbitrate), and isosorbide mononitrate (Imdur, ISMO, Monoket). Nitrates are also found in some recreational drugs such as amyl nitrate or nitrite ("poppers"). Taking Viagra with a nitrate medicine can cause a serious decrease in blood pressure, leading to fainting, stroke, or heart attack. During sexual activity, if you become dizzy or nauseated, or have pain, numbness, or tingling in your chest, arms, neck, or jaw, stop and call your doctor right away. You could be having a serious side effect of Viagra.

Do not take Viagra more than once a day. Allow 24 hours to pass between doses. Contact your doctor or seek emergency medical attention if your erection is painful or lasts longer than 4 hours. A prolonged erection (priapism) can damage the penis.

Viagra can decrease blood flow to the optic nerve of the eye, causing sudden vision loss. This has occurred in a small number of people taking Viagra, most of whom also had heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or certain pre-existing eye problems, and in those who smoke or are over 50 years old. It is not clear whether Viagra is the actual cause of vision loss.

Stop using Viagra and get emergency medical help if you have sudden vision loss.

Before taking Viagra

Do not take Viagra if you are also using a nitrate drug for chest pain or heart problems. This includes nitroglycerin (Nitrostat, Nitrolingual, Nitro-Dur, Nitro-Bid, and others), isosorbide dinitrate (Dilatrate-SR, Isordil, Sorbitrate), and isosorbide mononitrate

(Imdur, ISMO, Monoket). Nitrates are also found in some recreational drugs such as amyl nitrate or nitrite ("poppers"). Taking Viagra with a nitrate medicine can cause a serious decrease in blood pressure, leading to fainting, stroke, or heart attack.

If you have any of these other conditions, your doctor may need to adjust the Viagra dose or order special tests:

heart disease or heart rhythm problems; a recent history (in the past 6 months) of a heart attack, stroke, or heart rhythm disorder; congestive heart failure; high or low blood pressure; coronary artery disease; liver or kidney diseas; a blood cell disorder such as sickle cell anemia, multiple myeloma, or leukemia; a bleeding disorder such as hemophilia; a stomach ulcer; retinitis pigmentosa (an inherited condition of the eye); a physical deformity of the penis (such as Peyronie's disease); or if you have been told you should not have sexual intercourse for health reasons.

Viagra can decrease blood flow to the optic nerve of the eye, causing sudden vision loss. This has occurred in a small number of people taking Viagra, most of whom also had heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or certain pre-existing eye problems, and in those who smoke or are over 50 years old. It is not clear whether Viagra is the actual cause of vision loss. Stop using Viagra and get emergency medical help if you have sudden vision loss.

FDA pregnancy category B: This medication is not expected to be harmful to an unborn baby. Do not use Viagra without telling your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant during treatment. It is not known if sildenafil passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby. Do not use this medication without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.

How should I take Viagra?

Take Viagra exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Do not take in larger or smaller amounts or for longer than recommended. Follow the directions on your prescription label.

Viagra is usually taken only when needed, 30 minutes to 1 hour before sexual activity. You may take it up to 4 hours before sexual activity. Do not take Viagra more than once per day.

Viagra can help you have an erection when sexual stimulation occurs. An erection will not occur just by taking a pill. Follow your doctor's instructions.

During sexual activity, if you become dizzy or nauseated, or have pain, numbness, or tingling in your chest, arms, neck, or jaw, stop and call your doctor right away. You could be having a serious side effect of Viagra.

Store this medication at room temperature away from moisture and heat.

See also: Viagra dosage (in more detail)

What happens if I miss a dose?

Viagra is used as needed, so you are not likely to be on a dosing schedule.

If you miss a dose of Revatio, take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and take the medicine at the next regularly scheduled time. Do not take extra medicine to make up the missed dose.

What happens if I overdose?

Seek emergency medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222. Overdose symptoms may include chest pain, nausea, irregular heartbeat, and feeling light-headed or fainting.

What should I avoid while taking Viagra?

Avoid drinking alcohol, which can increase some of the side effects of Viagra. Avoid using other medicines to treat impotence, such as alprostadil (Caverject, Muse, Edex) or yohimbine (Yocon, Yodoxin, others), without first talking to your doctor.

Viagra side effects

Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat. During sexual activity, if you become dizzy or nauseated, or have pain, numbness, or tingling in your chest, arms, neck, or jaw, stop and call your doctor right away. You could be having a serious side effect of Viagra.

Stop using Viagra and call your doctor at once if you have a serious side effect such as:

sudden vision loss; ringing in your ears, or sudden hearing loss; chest pain or heavy feeling, pain spreading to the arm or shoulder, nausea, sweating, general ill feeling; irregular heartbeat; swelling in your hands, ankles, or feet; shortness of breath; vision changes; feeling light-headed, fainting; or penis erection that is painful or lasts 4 hours or longer.

Less serious Viagra side effects may include:

warmth or redness in your face, neck, or chest; stuffy nose; headache; memory problems; upset stomach; or back pain.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

See also: Viagra side effects (in more detail)

What other drugs will affect Viagra?

Do not take Viagra with similar medications such as tadalafil (Cialis) or vardenafil (Levitra).

Do not take Viagra if you are also using a nitrate drug for chest pain or heart problems, including nitroglycerin (Nitrostat, Nitrolingual, Nitro-Dur, Nitro-Bid, Minitran, Deponit, Transderm-Nitro), isosorbide dinitrate (Dilatrate-SR, Isordil, Sorbitrate), and isosorbide mononitrate (Imdur, ISMO, Monoket), or recreational drugs such as amyl nitrate or nitrite ("poppers").

Before taking Viagra, tell your doctor about all other medications you use for erectile dysfunction, or if you are using any of the following medications:

bosentan (Tracleer); cimetidine (Tagamet, Tagamet HB); conivaptan (Vaprisol); diclofenac (Arthrotec, Cataflam, Voltaren, Flector Patch, Solareze); imatinib (Gleevec); isoniazid (for treating tuberculosis); rifampin (Rifadin, Rimactane); an antidepressant such as nefazodone; an antibiotic such as clarithromycin (Biaxin), dalfopristin/quinupristin (Synercid), erythromycin (E.E.S., EryPed, Ery-Tab, Erythrocin) or telithromycin (Ketek); an antifungal medication such as clotrimazole (Mycelex Troche), itraconazole (Sporanox), ketoconazole (Nizoral), or voriconazole (Vfend); heart or blood pressure medication such as diltiazem (Cardizem, Dilacor, Tiazac), doxazosin (Cardura), nicardipine (Cardene), quinidine (Quinaglute, Quinidex, Quin-Release), or verapamil (Calan, Covera, Isoptin,Verelan); or HIV/AIDS medicine such as atazanavir (Reyataz), delavirdine (Rescriptor), fosamprenavir (Lexiva), indinavir (Crixivan), nelfinavir (Viracept), saquinavir (Invirase), or ritonavir (Norvir).

This list is not complete and there may be other drugs that can interact with Viagra. Tell your doctor about all the prescription and over-the-counter medications you use. This includes vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors. Do not start using a new medication without telling your doctor.