Does hypoglycemia cause cardiovascular events?

Abstract

Hypoglycemia is a very common side effect of insulin therapy and, to a lesser extent, of treatment with oral hypoglycemic agents. Severe hypoglycemia can precipitate adverse cardiovascular outcomes such as myocardial ischemia and cardiac arrhythmia. These are mainly secondary to autonomic activation which results in hemodynamic changes, vasoconstriction and rise in intravascular coagulability and viscosity.

Keywords

• Cardiac arrhythmia
• hypoglycemia
• myocardial ischemia