Depression May Raise Low Blood Sugar Risk in Diabetics

Depression can affect almost every aspect of life, but some of the changes brought about by the disorder can be downright dangerous for those with diabetes. New research has found that people with diabetes who are depressed have more than a 40 percent higher risk of having a severe low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) episode that lands them in the hospital compared to people with diabetes who aren't depressed. "Depression is a very common accompanying condition for people with diabetes. It's important to know that depression can lead to hypoglycemic episodes," said study author Dr. Wayne Katon, a professor of psychiatry at the University of Washington Medical School in Seattle. "About one-quarter of all severe drug side effects that lead people to an ER visit or hospitalization are related to dramatic drops in blood sugar. Hypoglycemia is a dangerous and expensive problem. And, for people with diabetes, depression increases the risk of serious hypoglycemia by about 40 percent over five years, and leads to a greater number of hypoglycemic episodes," he explained. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_137049.html