Treatment of Severe Hypoglycemia with Unconsciousness in Type 1 Diabetes

This protocol addresses a patient with Type 1 diabetes mellitus who presents with severe hypoglycemia and loss of consciousness — a time-critical emergency in which the patient is unable to self-treat and requires immediate external intervention.

Severe hypoglycemia with unconsciousness is one of the most acute complications of Type 1 diabetes. Because the patient cannot swallow safely, only parenteral or non-oral approaches are appropriate. The optimal intervention depends on the clinical setting — whether the patient is in hospital or at home.

Management centres on rapid glucose restoration. When intravenous access is available, an intravenous glucose preparation is the primary hospital-setting approach. In the home setting, glucagon is the agent of choice, with dose selection guided by the patient's age.