Hypoglycemia epidemiology and demographics

Patients with type 1 diabetes may suffer an average of two episodes of symptomatic hypoglycemia per week, thousands of such episodes over a lifetime of diabetes, and one episode of severe symptoms per year. Hypoglycemia is less frequent in type 2 diabetes than it is in type1. Event rate for severe hypoglycemia range from 40 to 100 percent of those in type 1 diabetes. There is no racial or gender predilection of hypoglycemia.

• Worldwide, the incidence of severe hypoglycemia event was 4800 per 100.000 patient per year and of moderate events was 13100 per 100.000 patient per year.^[1][2]
• Rates of hypoglycemia were increased in children < 6 years of age.

• Patients with type 1 diabetes may have increased frequency of symptomatic hypoglycemia which may include one severe episode per year.
• Hypoglycemia is less frequent in type 2 diabetes than it is in type1.^[3]
• Event rate (the proportion of patients with diabetes mellitus in whom the event is observed) for severe hypoglycemia in insulin-treated type 2 diabetes is approximately 30% of that in type 1.^[4]
• Event rate for severe hypoglycemia ranges from 40 to 100 percent of patients with type 1 diabetes.^[5]
• Frequency of hypoglycemia in patients with type 2 diabetes is the same as type 1 diabetes, as insulin deficiency occurs at the end in DM type 2 and require aggressive treatment with insulin.^[6]
• Hypoglycemia is uncommon in individuals who do not have drug-treated diabetes mellitus.^[7]

• Hypoglycemia commonly affects patients with type 2 diabetes. So, the risk of severe hypoglycemia is low in the first few years (7%) and that risk increases to 25% later in the course of diabetes according to the UK Hypoglycemia Study.^[8]

• There is no gender predilection of hypoglycemia.

• There is no racial predilection of hypoglycemia.