Jack Woodfield
Blogger, Diabetes.co.uk
Hypo unawareness can be dangerous for people with diabetes who take glucose-lowering medication, such as insulin.
Not only does hypo unawareness prevent you noticing the early symptoms of hypoglycemia, which can lead to severe hypoglycemia, but new research suggests it could affect cognitive function.
A recent Norwegian study found that people with type 1 diabetes who lacked hypo awareness performed poorly in neuropsychological tests.
Hypos can have a significant impact on the day-to-day lives of people with diabetes. A recent Diabetes.co.uk survey of more than 20,000 people found that 79 per cent reported feeling severe anxiety about having hypos.
In February, a free online structured education program was launched to help people with hypo unawareness. The Hypo Awareness Program can help you manage hypos and regain your hypo awareness: over 40,000 people who used the program increased their hypo awareness by nearly 88 per cent. For more information, go to hypoglycemia.uk.
