as it is already fully permeable to it and cannot use other sources of energy. This explains why low serum blood
glucose is so dangerous. Having a half-life of approximately six minutes, insulin can be totally cleared from
the body within 10-15 minutes and its production is controlled via a negative feedback system. If serum
glucose levels drop, so does the insulin secretion, while glucagon manufacture intensifies. In an absence of insulin, large quantities of fatty acids are released into the circulation following the breakdown of stored triglycerides. This raises the volume of fatty acids in the liver cells, which are then converted into aceto-acetic acid. This cannot be metabolised by
peripheral tissues and culminates in a state of acidosis (Bowen 1999), frequently seen in severe
hyperglycaemia. This can result in hyperventilation as carbon dioxide is blown off. If bicarbonate production
is reduced, as in pancreatitis, then blood pH can drop to below 7.0, causing death (Steinberg and
Tenner 1994).