(BPT) - If you or someone you care for is living with diabetes, you know it's important to stay up to date on the latest diabetes management guidelines. These updates for healthcare professionals from the American Diabetes Association (ADA) and the Endocrine Society highlight some key changes about who is at risk for low blood sugar, and what you should do if you are at increased risk.
What are the updates?
The ADA and Endocrine Society now say that you should have a prescription for ready-to-use glucagon if you are at risk of developing low blood sugar.1,2 You're considered at risk if you take medications like insulin, sulfonylureas or meglitinides.
If that's you - or someone you care for - talk to your doctor today about your risk factors. Very low blood sugar is common, costly and life-threatening.2 That's why the new guidelines recommend that those at high risk of low blood sugar have access to ready-to-use glucagon.
Glucagon is a hormone that helps raise blood sugar levels, and ready-to-use options provide ease of administration during a low blood sugar emergency. Even though the guidelines have been updated, many people living with diabetes, who should have ready-to-use glucagon, don't have it. The guidelines acknowledge that glucagon prescriptions are low, and that more needs to be done to protect those at risk.2
How to ensure your rescue plan aligns with the guidelines
Use the checklist below to make sure your diabetes toolkit is up to date.
- Take a fresh look at your low blood sugar emergency plan. Does it include a ready-to-use glucagon option?
- Learn about ready-to-use options like Gvoke HypoPen® (glucagon injection), the ready-to-use rescue pen anyone can use3 with confidence.
- Speak with your healthcare provider about your risk and if Gvoke HypoPen is right for you.
- Get a prescription for ready-to-use glucagon and fill it right away.
- Always keep it with you.
- Educate friends, family, and coworkers about the signs and symptoms of low blood sugar and what they can do to support you should you experience a low blood sugar emergency in their presence. That includes where to find your rescue tool, when to use it, and how to use it.
Staying on top of evolving diabetes care guidelines is important. With the right plan in place, you can face very low blood sugar with confidence.
Learn more about Gvoke HypoPen.
INDICATION AND SAFETY SUMMARY
GVOKE is a prescription medicine used to treat very low blood sugar (severe hypoglycemia) in adults and kids with diabetes ages 2 years and above. It is not known if GVOKE is safe and effective in children under 2 years of age.
WARNINGS
Do not use GVOKE if:
- you have a tumor in the gland on top of your kidneys (adrenal gland), called a pheochromocytoma.
- you have a tumor in your pancreas called an insulinoma.
- you are allergic to glucagon or any inactive ingredient in GVOKE.
GVOKE MAY CAUSE SERIOUS SIDE EFFECTS, INCLUDING:
High blood pressure. GVOKE can cause high blood pressure in certain people with tumors in their adrenal glands.
Low blood sugar. GVOKE can cause low blood sugar in certain people with tumors in their pancreas called insulinomas by making too much insulin in their bodies.
Serious allergic reaction. Call your doctor or get medical help right away if you have a serious allergic reaction including:
- rash
- difficulty breathing
- low blood pressure
COMMON SIDE EFFECTS
The most common side effects of GVOKE in adults include:
- nausea
- vomiting
- swelling at the injection site
- headache
The most common side effects of GVOKE in children include:
- nausea
- low blood sugar
- high blood sugar
- vomiting
- abdominal pain
- headache
- pain or redness at the injection site
- itching
These are not all the possible side effects of GVOKE. For more information, ask your doctor.
Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You are encouraged to report side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch, or call 1-800-FDA-1088.
BEFORE USING
Before using GVOKE, tell your healthcare provider about all your medical conditions, including if you:
- have adrenal gland problems
- have a tumor in your pancreas
- have not had food or water for a long time (prolonged fasting or starvation)
- have low blood sugar that does not go away (chronic hypoglycemia)
- are pregnant or plan to become pregnant
- are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. It is not known if GVOKE passes into your breast milk. You and your healthcare provider should decide if you can use GVOKE while breastfeeding.
Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.
HOW TO USE
- Read the detailed Instructions for Use that come with GVOKE.
- Use GVOKE exactly how your healthcare provider tells you to use it
- Make sure your relatives, close friends, and caregivers know where you store GVOKE and how to use it the right way before you need their help.
- Act quickly. Having very low blood sugar for a period of time may be harmful.
- Your healthcare provider will tell you how and when to use GVOKE.
- After giving GVOKE, your caregiver should call for emergency medical help right away.
- If you do not respond after 15 minutes, your caregiver may give you another dose, if available. Tell your healthcare provider each time you use GVOKE. Low blood sugar may happen again after receiving an injection of GVOKE. Your diabetes medicine may need to be changed.
HOW TO STORE
- Keep GVOKE pre-filled syringe and HypoPen in sealed foil pouch until time of use.
- Keep GVOKE kit vial and pouched syringe together in original carton until time of use.
- Store GVOKE at temperatures between 68°F and 77°F.
- Do not keep it in the refrigerator or let it freeze.
Keep GVOKE and all medicines out of the reach of children.
For more information, call 1-877-937-4737 or go to www.GvokeGlucagon.com.
Please see the Full Prescribing Information for Gvoke
References:
- American Diabetes Association Professional Practice Committee. 6. Glycemic Goals and Hypoglycemia: Standards of Care in Diabetes-2024. Diabetes Care. 2024;47(Suppl 1):S111-S125. doi:10.2337/dc24-S006.
- McCall AL, Lieb DC, Gianchandani R, et al. Management of individuals with diabetes at high risk for hypoglycemia: an Endocrine Society clinical practice guideline. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2023;108(3):529-562.doi:10.1210/clinem/dgac596.
- Valentine V, Newswanger B, Prestrelski S, Andre AD, Garibaldi M. Human factors usability and validation studies of a glucagon autoinjector in a simulated severe hypoglycemia rescue situation. Diabetes Technol Ther. 2019;21(9):522-530.
