[Hypoglycemic hemiparesis]

The common signs of hypoglycemia include: tachycardia, diaphoresis and vertigo which may be associated to disturbances of the consciousness. Occasionally, focal neurological signs occur with conservation of consciousness which are erroneously interpreted as cerebral vascular disease. An insulin dependent diabetic patient is presented with an initial diagnosis of transient ischemic attack (TIA) with right hemiparesis and dysarthria associated to hypoglycemia (35 mg %) whose remission occurred following the correction of glycemia. The different physiopathogenic mechanisms were also revised postulating (selective neuronal vulnerability, vasospasms and subjacent vascular disease) and the need for considering this diagnosis must be emphasized in those diabetic patients with focal neurological symptoms.