Hypoglycémie et alcool

Consumption of alcohol during fasting state, in subjects without diabetes and/or liver disease, may cause severe hypoglycemia often misdiagnosed. This can also occur in very young children. The amount of alcohol responsible for hypoglycemic attacks can be very moderate. The phenomenon is secondary to the absence of liver glycogen stores and the preponderance of alcohol metabolism on gluconeogenesis. Its diagnosis can be mistaken for an alcoholic coma. Treatment is based on the administration of intravenous glucose, glucagon being, of course, inefficient due to liver poor glycogen stores. Alcohol can also promote hypoglycemia in type 1 and type 2 diabetes treated with insulin or sulfonylureas. This must be addressed in the therapeutic education sessions.