Delayed hypoglycaemia in people with type 1 diabetes after performing moderate intensity exercise before the evening meal

Abstract For a person with type 1 diabetes, participation in exercise may increase the risk of hypoglycaemia. Research has been performed during or immediately after exercise in a laboratory environment, with limited evidence regarding strategies for post‐exercise hypoglycaemia prevention. The aim of this study was to investigate the occurrence of delayed hypoglycaemia after 40 minutes of moderate intensity exercise at 70% VO2 max before the evening meal, in both the real‐life and laboratory exercise environments. Nine individuals (five males, four females) with type 1 diabetes using basal bolus analogue insulin regimens participated. All performed two sessions of 40 minutes of moderate intensity exercise in two environments (laboratory and real‐life), while following a self‐management algorithm that included a 30% reduction of post‐exercise evening meal insulin. Data were collected by continuous glucose monitoring for episodes of interstitial glucose <4.0 mmol/L at two‐hourly time‐points for 12 hours post‐exercise. Before the evening meal, the mean blood glucose concentrations were: laboratory 8.0 ± 1.9 mmol/L and real‐life 9.9 ± 4.1 mmol/L. During 2–6 hours after exercise, episodes of glucose concentrations <4.0 mmol/L were: laboratory n = 5, and real‐life n = 2. This compared to 8–12 hours after: laboratory n = 3, and real‐life n = 8. Hypoglycaemia unawareness was noted in eight of all 18 post‐evening meal episodes of <4.0 mmol/L (lab...
Source: Practical Diabetes - Category: Endocrinology Authors: Tags: Original Article Source Type: research