When and How to Use Glucagen for Severe Hypoglycemia

Imagine finding someone you love slumped over, sweating, not answering you — and you know they take insulin. In that moment, sugar in a glass is no help, because they can’t swallow it safely.

That’s what Injection Glucagen is for. It’s a prescription form of glucagon, a hormone that can raise blood glucose quickly during severe hypoglycemia. It’s meant for emergencies: when a person is unconscious, having a seizure, confused, or unable to swallow safely. Use it exactly as your healthcare professional has instructed.

What is Injection Glucagen?

Injection Glucagen is a brand name for glucagon, a naturally occurring hormone made by the pancreas. In injectable medicine form, glucagon signals the liver to release stored glucose into the bloodstream. This can help raise blood glucose during a severe hypoglycemia emergency, especially in a person with diabetes who cannot safely eat or drink.

This isn’t for everyday mild lows. If the person is awake, cooperative, and able to swallow, fast-acting carbohydrate — glucose tablets, glucose gel, juice, or a regular sugary drink — is usually the better choice. Injection Glucagen is for situations in which swallowing is unsafe or impossible, including unconsciousness, seizures, severe confusion, or inability to take sugar by mouth.

The medicine is prescribed for one particular person, and the people around them need to know where it’s kept and how to use it. Brand availability and product instructions can vary by country. Some glucagon products are ready to use, while others require mixing immediately before use; the instructions provided with the prescribed product should always take priority.

Recognizing severe low blood sugar

Hypoglycemia means low blood glucose. It can develop when insulin or certain glucose-lowering medicines have a stronger effect than expected, particularly after a missed meal, delayed eating, more physical activity than usual, alcohol intake, illness, or a medication error. Symptoms may appear quickly and can vary from person to person.

Early symptoms may include shakiness, sweating, hunger, headache, dizziness, irritability, tingling around the mouth, palpitations, or trouble concentrating. If blood glucose continues to fall, a person may become confused, behave unusually, have poor coordination, become very drowsy, have a seizure, or lose consciousness. Severe hypoglycemia is an emergency because the person may not be able to treat themselves.

A glucose meter or continuous glucose monitor can help confirm a low reading when it is available, but treatment should not be delayed when symptoms strongly suggest severe hypoglycemia. Caregivers should avoid giving food, drink, or tablets by mouth to anyone who is unconscious, having a seizure, extremely drowsy, or unable to swallow. Doing so may cause choking or aspiration.

How Injection Glucagen is used in an emergency

Before an emergency occurs, the prescribing clinician or pharmacist should demonstrate how the patient’s glucagon product is prepared and administered. A family member, school staff member, work colleague, or other trusted caregiver may be the person who needs to act. Read through the product instructions from time to time, and always after a new prescription or a switch to a different glucagon formulation.

In a suspected severe hypoglycemia emergency, the caregiver should follow the product instructions, administer the prescribed glucagon dose, and call local emergency services. The person should be placed on their side if they are unconscious or very drowsy, as nausea and vomiting are common after glucagon. They should not be left alone while waiting for help or while recovering.

When the person becomes alert and can swallow safely, they should take a fast-acting carbohydrate source. This should be followed by a snack or meal containing longer-acting carbohydrate, and sometimes protein, to help prevent another low glucose episode. Blood glucose should be checked when possible and monitored afterward. Even if the person seems fine again, they still need to be seen. The low can come back, and someone has to work out why it happened.

• Use glucagon only for the person it was prescribed for.
• Follow the supplied instructions rather than relying on memory.
• Call emergency services after use, particularly after unconsciousness or a seizure.
• Tell the diabetes care team about every severe low blood sugar event.

Other medical uses and important limitations

In some healthcare settings, glucagon may also be used by clinicians during certain imaging or endoscopic procedures of the digestive tract. It can temporarily relax smooth muscle and reduce movement in the stomach or intestines, helping the medical team obtain clearer images or perform a procedure. This use is supervised by trained healthcare professionals and is different from having emergency glucagon at home.

Glucagon works by encouraging the liver to release stored glucose. Its effect may be reduced when liver glycogen stores are low, such as after prolonged fasting, severe malnutrition, prolonged heavy alcohol use, or some chronic medical conditions. In these circumstances, urgent medical care and intravenous glucose may be needed.

Glucagen is a rescue, not a plan. If lows keep happening, it usually means meals, activity, insulin, or other glucose-lowering medicines need a fresh look. A clinician can help identify potential triggers and develop a practical prevention plan for hypoglycemia if this condition has been diagnosed or is suspected.

Side effects, precautions and medication review

The most common effects after glucagon are nausea and vomiting. Headache, temporary rise in heart rate, or changes in blood pressure may also occur. Because vomiting can happen during recovery, positioning an unconscious person on their side is an important safety step until they are fully awake and able to protect their airway.

Glucagon may not be suitable for everyone. People with a known allergy to glucagon or any ingredient in the product should not use it unless a clinician specifically advises otherwise. Certain rare hormone-producing tumors, including pheochromocytoma, require special caution because glucagon may trigger a dangerous increase in blood pressure. People with insulinoma may experience an initial rise in blood glucose followed by recurrent hypoglycemia and need medical supervision.

The prescribing clinician should know about all medicines and health conditions. Some medicines can affect blood glucose or alter the response to glucagon, including insulin, sulfonylureas, beta blockers, indomethacin, and warfarin. None of this means holding back glucagon in a life-threatening low — it simply explains why the person still needs to be checked over afterwards.

Preparing for emergencies and preventing future episodes

People prescribed Injection Glucagen should keep it in an accessible place and check the expiry date regularly. It should be stored according to the package directions and protected as advised by the manufacturer. A glucagon kit that is expired, missing supplies, or has been stored incorrectly should be replaced. Caregivers should know where it is kept, including at home, school, work, or during travel.

Writing the plan down takes the guesswork out of a frightening moment. The plan may include the person’s diabetes diagnosis, usual medications, signs that indicate severe hypoglycemia, instructions to call emergency services after glucagon, and contact details for relatives and the diabetes team. Medical identification jewelry or a phone-based medical ID can also help responders recognize diabetes in an emergency.

Prevention often involves regular meals when required by the treatment plan, checking glucose at recommended times, carrying fast-acting carbohydrate, and discussing activity or alcohol plans with a clinician. Anyone who has needed glucagon should arrange a medication review. Changes to insulin or other diabetes medicines should only be made with advice from a qualified healthcare professional.

When to seek medical care

Emergency medical care is needed immediately for loss of consciousness, seizures, inability to swallow, severe confusion, or suspected severe low blood sugar. Emergency services should be contacted after Injection Glucagen is administered, even if the person regains consciousness. Urgent help is also needed if the person does not improve promptly, remains confused, has repeated vomiting, has difficulty breathing, or has another severe low glucose episode.

A prompt appointment with a doctor or diabetes clinician is appropriate after any episode requiring assistance from another person, any low blood sugar without an obvious explanation, or frequent symptoms suggesting hypoglycemia. The healthcare team can review glucose records, medicines, food intake, activity, alcohol use, illness, and the person’s injection technique where relevant.

Acıbadem Health Point’s multidisciplinary specialists and JCI-accredited hospitals can assess diabetes-related emergencies and help international patients develop an individualized follow-up plan. Always speak with a qualified medical professional who can look at your full medical history and current treatment.

Frequently asked questions