Table 1.

Risk Factors for Hypoglycaemia in Diabetic Individuals

Patient- and family-related risk factors
Age (younger children are at highest risk) Lifestyle: Strenuous exercise or inappropriate management of exercise time Eating disorders and extremely lean habitus Hypoglycaemia unawareness Poor family/patient compliance Inadequate education for diabetes and hypoglycaemia management Feeding habitus (high fat-content diet causes postprandial hypoglycaemia and late hyperglycaemia) Alcohol consumption
Type of diabetes and management strategies-related risk factors
Type of diabetes (T1DM associated with increased risk compared to T2DM) Tight glycaemic control (low A1c) Longer duration of diabetes Prior hypoglycaemia, recurring hypoglycaemia Using insulin, sulfonylureas, and meglitinides as standard care of therapy Methods of glucose monitoring (using CGM decreases hypoglycaemia episodes)
Concomittant diseases-related risk factors
Adrenal insufficiency (Addison’s disease) Renal or hepatic dysfunction Celiac disease Hypothyroidism Psychological disorders Diabetic gastroparesis