Hypoglycemia is a relatively common and potentially
devastating complication of therapy in patients with type
2 diabetes. As practitioners, it is important that we are
aware of an individual’s risk for hypoglycemia. It is also
important that the practitioner and patient be aware of the
relative risk of hypoglycemia associated with each of the
medications included in the treatment regimen. Educating
the patient about hypoglycemia is imperative, particularly
in how to correct hypoglycemia and how certain lifestyle
practices can affect the risk of hypoglycemia. Finally, as
practitioners, we should re-evaluate the glycemic goals for
our patients and make sure that by intensifying treatment
and causing more hypoglycemia, we are in fact doing
more good than harm.