Diabetes Management

For patients with diabetes, hypoglycaemia can present a number of risks ranging from mild to life-threatening in severity. Frequently occurring hypoglycaemia is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Recent studies have found associations between intensive glycaemia treatment and an increased incidence of hypoglycaemia, prompting much discussion concerning the clinical significance of hypoglycaemia in the treatment of diabetes, especially considering that many hypoglycaemic episodes are subclinical and unrecognised. Hypoglycaemia has also been linked to an increased probability of developing dementia and, not surprisingly, poor quality of life as well. It may be helpful to try to prevent hypoglycaemic episodes through careful monitoring of patients with risk factors that predispose them to hypoglycaemia, while also selecting therapies that can minimise the incidence of hypoglycaemic episodes.