Which term best describes a condition of low blood glucose resulting from insulin therapy?

• A. Hyperglycemia
• B. Diabetic coma
• C. Hyperglycemic hyperosmolar syndrome
• D. Hypoglycemic reaction

Answer: (D)

When insulin lowers blood sugar too much, the body runs into a low-blood-glucose state. This is called hypoglycemia, and in clinical terms it’s often described as a hypoglycemic reaction. It happens because the insulin pushes glucose into cells faster than glucose is available from meals or from the liver, especially if you’ve taken insulin but haven’t eaten enough or you’ve done more activity than planned. The key idea is that the glucose level dips below normal, producing symptoms and needing prompt treatment.

The other terms describe high blood sugar or less specific situations: hyperglycemia is high blood sugar, not low. Hyperglycemic hyperosmolar syndrome is a severe high-blood-sugar emergency. Diabetic coma is an old, non-specific label that can refer to extreme hyperglycemia or occasionally to severe hypoglycemia, but it isn’t the precise term for low glucose caused by insulin therapy.