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Emergency Medicine & First Aid vocabulary · Medical Emergencies

Hypoglycemia

Meaning in emergency medicine & first aid, with examples

/ˌhaɪpoʊɡlaɪˈsiːmiə/nounCommon term

In emergency medicine & first aid, hypoglycemia means: A blood sugar level that is too low, most often in people with diabetes, causing shaking, sweating, confusion and sometimes seizures or unconsciousness.

In Turkish: hipoglisemi, kan şekeri düşüklüğü

How it is used

Ambulance crews check the blood glucose of anyone who is confused, fitting or unconscious. People with diabetes often call it 'a hypo' or 'going low'. Because it can look like drunkenness or a stroke, it is a classic condition that crews take care not to miss.

Example sentences

  1. His blood sugar is 38, so this looks like hypoglycemia rather than a stroke.

  2. Type 1 diabetic, found confused at work, likely hypoglycemia.

Common collocations

  • severe hypoglycemia
  • treat hypoglycemia
  • have a hypo
  • blood glucose level
  • seizureA sudden burst of abnormal electrical activity in the brain that can cause shaking, stiffness, staring or a short loss of consciousness.
  • unconsciousNot awake and not aware of what is happening, so that the person cannot respond normally to voices or touch.
  • collapseTo fall down suddenly because of illness or weakness, often becoming unconscious; it is also used as a noun for the event.
  • strokeA sudden loss of brain function caused by a blocked blood vessel or bleeding in the brain, often showing as a drooping face, arm weakness or slurred speech.

More terms: Medical Emergencies

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This page explains English vocabulary for learners. It is not medical advice.