Feature Article

Hypoglycemia associated with exercise in diabetes

Lisa M Younk, Maka S Hedrington & Stephen N Davis

Diabetic Hypoglycemia October 2011, Volume 4, Issue 2: page 3-10

Abstract

Regular physical exercise is recommended for individuals with type 1 and type 2 diabetes. However, exogenous insulin or insulin secretagog use in these populations potentiates the risk of hypoglycemia at rest and particularly during and after exercise. A number of factors have been identified that augment exercise-related hypoglycemia risk, including excess delivery of exogenous insulin, inadequate carbohydrate intake, inability to detect or react to a fall in blood glucose (failure of symptom response and/or lack of blood glucose monitoring), increased duration of moderate-intensity exercise, and recent hypoglycemia or exercise. Implementation of behavioral strategies to modulate these risk factors substantially lowers the risk of hypoglycemia without compromising glycemic control.

Keywords: blood glucose monitoring, exercise, glucose counter-regulation, hypoglycemia, insulin secretagogs