Exercise-induced and other daytime hypoglycemic events in patients with diabetes: prevention and treatment.

Daytime hypoglycemia, like its nocturnal counterpart, is a practical barrier to achieving optimal glycemic control in type 1 diabetes. Daytime hypoglycemia also causes serious social disruptions for people with diabetes because it interferes with daily activities such as working, attending school, or driving. Hypoglycemia during the day may result from missed or delayed meals, or from insulin replacement regimens that do not account for lifestyle patterns, such as glucose utilization due to exercise. Regardless of the cause of hypoglycemia, the severity may be exacerbated when associated with deficient counter-regulatory mechanisms. To lessen the likelihood of daytime hypoglycemia, a three-part approach is recommended: (1) patient education about the relationship between carbohydrate intake and energy expenditure; (2) day-to-day adjustments of meals or snacks and insulin replacements, as needed; and (3) updated insulin replacement regimens, using strategies that more accurately mimic physiological secretory patterns.