What is the approximate blood glucose threshold used to define hypoglycaemia in diabetes?

What is the approximate blood glucose threshold used to define hypoglycaemia in diabetes?

• A. 2.8 mmol/L
• B. 3.0 mmol/L
• C. 3.6 mmol/L
• D. 4.5 mmol/L

Answer: (C)

Hypoglycemia is defined by glucose levels low enough to impair brain function and trigger tendencies to treat quickly. In diabetes care, an approximate cutoff around 3.6 mmol/L (about 65 mg/dL) is commonly used to designate hypoglycemia for practical management. This level is low enough to indicate a real risk of symptoms and the need to raise glucose, yet not so low as to represent the deepest, more dangerous lows that some guidelines reserve for severe classifications. The other values either aren’t hypoglycemia at all (4.5 mmol/L) or reflect more severe lows (around 3.0 or 2.8 mmol/L), making 3.6 mmol/L the closest match for an approximate threshold.

Hypoglycemia is defined by glucose levels low enough to impair brain function and trigger tendencies to treat quickly. In diabetes care, an approximate cutoff around 3.6 mmol/L (about 65 mg/dL) is commonly used to designate hypoglycemia for practical management. This level is low enough to indicate a real risk of symptoms and the need to raise glucose, yet not so low as to represent the deepest, more dangerous lows that some guidelines reserve for severe classifications. The other values either aren’t hypoglycemia at all (4.5 mmol/L) or reflect more severe lows (around 3.0 or 2.8 mmol/L), making 3.6 mmol/L the closest match for an approximate threshold.