Drug-induced low blood sugar


Definition

Drug-induced low blood sugar is low blood glucose that results from taking medicine.

Alternative Names

Hypoglycemia - drug-induced; Low blood glucose - drug-induced

Causes

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Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) is common in people with diabetes who are taking insulin or other medicines to control their diabetes.

Other than certain medicines, the following can also cause blood sugar (glucose) level to drop:

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

Medicines that can cause drug-induced low blood sugar include:

References

Hussain K. Hypoglycemia. In: Goldman L, Cooney KA, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. 27th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2024:chap 211.

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