Ready-to-Use Glucagon Provides Reassurance in Managing Diabetes
(BPT) – Jolting awake in the middle of the night to the screeching sound of your child’s low blood sugar alert alarm. Feeling the onset of blurry vision during a road trip with the closest exit miles away. That stubborn low blood sugar that won’t raise no matter how many gummy bears are eaten.
These are scary, yet very real everyday scenarios for people with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes on insulin.
The Insulin and Glucagon Cycle
For anyone with diabetes who takes insulin, keeping blood sugar in range can be an ongoing challenge. Without taking enough insulin, blood sugar could skyrocket after a meal. On the flip side, blood sugar could plummet because they took too much insulin, missed a meal, worked out extra hard, felt increased stress or anxiety – or many other reasons.
Experiencing Very Low Blood Sugar
Most everyone – even people without a diabetes diagnosis – has experienced low blood sugar symptoms at some point, feeling a fast heartbeat, shakiness, dizziness or sweating. Low blood sugar, or hypoglycemia, can often be raised by eating a sugary snack or drink (15 grams of carbohydrates.)
For people with diabetes, there are times when blood sugar levels continue to drop, even after consuming sugary food. Very low blood sugar is a serious complication of diabetes treatment. This may cause someone to have a hard time thinking straight or controlling their body, get very tired, refuse to eat, pass out or even have a seizure. This is a situation that requires immediate attention.
Treating a Very Low Blood Sugar Emergency with Ready-to-Use Glucagon
Gvoke HypoPen(R) (glucagon injection) is a ready-to-use glucagon autoinjector with simple 2-step administration for treating very low blood sugar. It allows parents, spouses, co-workers, teachers and others to administer glucagon with confidence in stressful situations. In certain circumstances, you can even give Gvoke(R) to yourself. Having the right tools available can bring peace of mind to individual diabetes management, like when home alone and feeling nervous about the possibility of passing out.
Gvoke can be used to treat very low blood sugar in adults and kids ages 2 and older. It even comes in two premeasured doses for adults and kids.
Severe hypoglycemia is a life-threatening condition so being prepared is critical. Here are a few tips to remember:
- Glucagon is as essential to diabetes management as insulin or a continuous glucose monitor (CGM). Be your own advocate – ask your health care provider for a ready-to-use glucagon prescription.
- Know the signs and symptoms of very low blood sugar, what to do and carry the right tools with you at all times.
- Plan for success in case you are unable to help yourself in a very low blood sugar emergency. Get in the habit of telling others where you keep your ready-to-use glucagon, how to use it, and what your low blood sugar signs are.
- Whether you care for yourself or someone else, diabetes can be an overwhelming condition. You are never alone! Ask for the help and support you need. Connect with diabetes advocacy organizations for information, resources and community.
Blood sugar levels can be unpredictable and sometimes go severely low. Ready-to-use glucagon like Gvoke HypoPen can help turn a potential crisis into a more manageable situation. Talk to your doctor about adding Gvoke HypoPen to your diabetes toolkit or visit GvokeGlucagon.com to learn more.
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 either an insulinoma or a glucagonoma.
- you are allergic to glucagon or any other 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.
Serious skin rash. GVOKE can cause a serious skin rash in certain people with a tumor in their pancreas called a glucagonoma.
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 include:
- nausea
- vomiting
- swelling at the injection site
- headache
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 doctor about all your medical conditions, including if you:
- have a tumor in your pancreas
- have not had food or water for a long time (prolonged fasting or starvation)
Tell your doctor 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.
- Make sure your caregiver knows where you keep your GVOKE and how to use GVOKE correctly before you need their help.
- Your doctor will tell you how and when to use GVOKE.
- GVOKE contains only 1 dose of medicine and cannot be reused.
- After administering GVOKE, the caregiver should call for emergency medical help right away.
- If the person does not respond after 15 minutes, another dose may be given.
- Tell your doctor each time you use GVOKE.
- Store GVOKE at temperatures between 68 degrees F and 77 degrees F. Do not keep it in the refrigerator or let it freeze.
- Keep GVOKE in the foil pouch until you are ready to use it.
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 Important Facts about Gvoke.
US-GVKHP-21-00144
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