Revista de la Sociedad Argentina de Diabetes (Jun 2021)

Hypoglycemia associated autonomic failure

  • Solange Leda Houssay,
  • Maricel Recalde,
  • Marcela Giménez Rey,
  • Concepción García,
  • Raquel Urdaneta,
  • Fernanda Huber,
  • Claudia Flores,
  • Carolina Domínguez,
  • Emilio Nader

DOI
https://doi.org/10.47196/diab.v55i2.473
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 55, no. 2
pp. 37 – 51

Abstract

Read online

Hypoglycemia unawereness is a complication of type 1 diabetes treatment and of type 2 diabetes treatment treated with insulin or sulfonylureas, characterized by a reduced ability to perceive the onset of episodes of hypoglycemia. In general, it coexists with an insufficient counterregulatory hormonal response to hypoglycemia called: hypoglycemia associated autonomic failure (HAAF). The development of hypoglycemia unawereness and counterregulatory failure to hypoglycemia significantly increase the risk of severe hypoglycemia. Scoring scales have been developed to identify this group of people at high risk of severe hypoglycemia in the clinic. The cornerstone of treatment is to avoid hypoglycemia through a multifactorial intervention of clinical care and structured education.

Keywords