Inobvious complications of hypoglycaemia

Tight blood glucose control reduces long-term complications in both type 1 and type 2 diabetes, however increases the risk of hypoglycaemia. The article describes rare acute complications of severe hypoglycaemia — acute pulmonary oedema, stress cardiomyopathy (takotsubo cardiomyopathy) and cardiac arrhythmias including bradycardia or ventricular arrhythmias related probably to QT prolongation. All mentioned acute complications can be life-threatening and lead to sudden death even in young subjects. In some situations they may be misdiagnosed or overlooked