Blood sugar drop can lead to aggression

Published 9:00 pm Wednesday, September 13, 2006

It is unusual, but not rare, for diabetes patients with abnormally low blood sugar to become confused and combative, said Dr. George W. Moore, an endocrinologist with Western Washington Medical Group.

A lawyer on Wednesday said the condition may explain why a former Brier mayor wound up in a struggle that ended with a police officer’s death. Police are still investigating.

“It depends on how low their sugars are,” Moore said Wednesday. Sometimes patients think the people trying to help them are trying to hurt them, he said.

Hypoglycemia, or abnormally low blood sugar, is also known as insulin reaction. Its symptoms include shakiness, sudden moodiness, seizures and difficulty paying attention.

Blood tests can show when glucose is low. It can be treated by taking glucose tablets, by drinking fruit juice, by eating pieces of hard candy or with a glucagon shot.

Severe hypoglycemia can cause brain damage, Moore said.

People who aren’t diabetic can be hypoglycemic, but it is less common.