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Low Blood Sugar (Hypo) — First Aid
What to do
- Recognise a hypo in someone with diabetes: shaky, sweaty, pale, hungry, irritable or confused, fast heartbeat, blurred vision, weakness — symptoms usually come on quickly.
- If they can swallow safely, give fast-acting sugar straight away: a small glass of fruit juice or regular (non-diet) soda, a few glucose tablets or sweets, or sugar dissolved in water.
- Recheck how they feel after 10 to 15 minutes (and their glucose if they have a meter). If symptoms persist, repeat the fast-acting sugar once or twice more.
- Once recovered, follow with a longer-acting snack (such as a sandwich, biscuits or their next meal if due) to stop levels falling again.
- If the person is becoming drowsy, confused to the point of unsafe swallowing, or unconscious: give nothing by mouth, place them in the recovery position and call 911. If they carry a glucagon injection and you are trained to use it, follow their care plan.
- Stay with them until fully recovered, and advise them not to drive until levels are stable and they feel completely normal.
What NOT to do
- Do not give insulin to treat a hypo — it makes low blood sugar worse.
- Do not give food or drink to someone who is drowsy, fitting or unconscious — it can choke them.
- Do not use chocolate or fatty foods as the first treatment — fat slows sugar absorption.
- Do not leave the person alone until they have fully recovered.
When to get medical care
Call 911 if the person cannot swallow safely, is unconscious or having a seizure, does not improve after two or three rounds of fast-acting sugar over about 30 minutes, or has repeated hypos. Anyone who needed help from another person to treat a hypo should discuss it with their diabetes team promptly.
Related conditions
Related procedures & tests
Related symptoms
Frequently asked questions
What are the warning signs of a hypo?
Shakiness, sweating, hunger, tingling lips, irritability, difficulty concentrating, palpitations, pallor and blurred vision. Signs vary between people — most people with diabetes learn their own pattern. Treating at the first signs prevents deterioration.
Why juice or glucose tablets rather than chocolate?
Low blood sugar needs sugar that reaches the blood fast. Fat in chocolate and biscuits slows digestion, delaying the rise. Juice, regular soda, glucose tablets or gel act within minutes, which is why guidelines recommend them first.
In an emergency, call 911 (or your local emergency number) first — do not delay a call to read a guide. These pages are educational first-aid information in general terms; they are not a substitute for emergency services, first-aid training, or assessment by a qualified clinician.
