Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 6, 2026
11:12
Hyperinsulinemic-Euglycemic Clamp in the Conscious Rat
Published on: February 8, 2011
Hypoglycemia associated with clonidine testing for growth hormone deficiency
C Huang1, K Banerjee, E Sochett
1Division of Endocrinology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Toronto and the Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
The Journal of Pediatrics
|August 7, 2001
Summary
Clonidine stimulation for growth hormone secretion can cause hypoglycemia in children. Drowsiness may mask symptoms, leading to severe low blood sugar.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Endocrinology
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Clonidine is used to stimulate growth hormone secretion.
- Growth hormone deficiency is a potential indication for such stimulation.
Observation:
- Four cases of hypoglycemia were observed following clonidine administration.
- Only one patient in the observed cases had a confirmed growth hormone deficiency.
Findings:
- Clonidine-induced drowsiness can prolong fasting periods in children.
- This prolonged fasting and drowsiness may mask hypoglycemia symptoms.
- Severe hypoglycemia can result from delayed recognition.
Implications:
- Careful monitoring for hypoglycemia is crucial in children receiving clonidine for growth hormone stimulation.
- Fasting protocols may need adjustment in conjunction with clonidine therapy.
- Further research into the mechanism and prevention of clonidine-associated hypoglycemia is warranted.
Related Concept Videos
01:06Oral Hypoglycemic Agents: Glinides
Repaglinide (Prandin) and Nateglinide (Starlix), known as glinides, are oral insulin secretagogues that stimulate insulin release from pancreatic β cells by closing the ATP-sensitive potassium channels (KATP channel). Repaglinide controls insulin release from pancreatic β cells by managing potassium efflux. It shares two binding sites with sulfonylureas and also has a unique site, indicating overlapping mechanisms of action. With a rapid onset and a 4-7 hour duration, it effectively manages...
01:15Hypoglycemia and Glucagon
Without prolonged fasting, healthy individuals maintain blood glucose levels above 3.5 mM due to a well-adapted neuroendocrine counterregulatory system that effectively prevents acute hypoglycemia, a potentially life-threatening condition. The primary clinical scenarios for hypoglycemia encompass diabetes treatment, inappropriate production of endogenous insulin or insulin-like substances by tumors, and the use of glucose-lowering agents in non-diabetic individuals. Notably, hypoglycemia in the...
01:19Type I Diabetes III: Clinical Manifestations
Type 1 diabetes mellitus typically presents with rapid-onset symptoms due to the body’s inability to utilize glucose in the absence of insulin. Since insulin is required for glucose uptake into cells, its deficiency leads to hyperglycemia and cellular energy deprivation, resulting in characteristic clinical features.Polyuria and PolydipsiaOne of the earliest, most prominent symptoms is polyuria (excessive urination). When blood glucose concentrations rise above the renal threshold, the kidneys...
01:25Type II Diabetes Mellitus III: Clinical Manifestations and Diagnosis
Type 2 diabetes mellitus develops gradually and is often asymptomatic in early stages.Clinical ManifestationsWhen symptoms appear, they include fatigue, blurred vision, pruritus, delayed wound healing, and recurrent infections, particularly candidal infections. Peripheral neuropathy may present as numbness or tingling in the extremities. Classic hyperglycemia symptoms—polyuria, polydipsia, and polyphagia—are less common. Most patients are overweight and frequently have associated hypertension...
01:26Hypoglycemia
Hypoglycemia is a blood glucose level below 70 mg/dL. It commonly occurs in individuals using insulin or insulin-secreting drugs, but may also arise in non-diabetic conditions. People with type 1 diabetes are at the highest risk because they depend on exogenous insulin. People with type 2 diabetes are also at risk, especially when treated with insulin or medications such as sulfonylureas, which increase insulin release regardless of blood glucose levels. It develops when insulin levels exceed...
01:29Hyperglycemia
Hyperglycemia is an abnormally high blood glucose level. It is diagnosed by fasting glucose ≥126 mg/dL, 2-hour oral glucose tolerance test (or OGTT) ≥200 mg/dL, random glucose ≥200 mg/dL with symptoms, or HbA1c ≥6.5%. However, HbA1c results may be unreliable in certain conditions, such as anemia or hemoglobinopathies, and the diagnosis should be confirmed unless classic symptoms are present. Postprandial hyperglycemia is typically considered significant when glucose levels exceed 180 mg/dL two...