Inhaled glucagon: A new hope for severe hypoglycemia in type 1 diabetes

Abstract

Until now injectable glucagon was the only available treatment used in the management of severe hypoglycemia wherein glucagon had to be prepared in several steps before administration. This method of delivery of injectable glucagon being cumbersome and unappealing for a wide majority of the patients had led to a search for an alternative route of drug delivery. Intranasal (IN) glucagon now serves an efficient, safe, easy to administer, and a favorable substitute to glucagon injections. This ready-to-use device stands in clear contrast to overcome the limitations associated with the currently available glucagon preparations, which has emerged a key advancement in the management of severe hypoglycemia in adolescents and children with type 1 diabetes. IN glucagon is now being developed and studied in other countries as well to meet the unmet need for an easy and convenient glucagon administration. This review covers the basic information of nasal glucagon, trials on nasal glucagon in children’s and adults, and its potential uses, limitations, and future scope in practice.

Keywords

• cumbersome
• hypoglycemia
• injectable glucagon
• intranasal glucagon
• management