Determining the risk of hypoglycaemia in people with type 2 diabetes: an approach for clinical practice

Hypoglycaemia and its consequences are a significant risk for many people who have type 2 diabetes, yet it is often under-recognised, and may be avoidable. Severe hypoglycaemic events have an impact on mortality, morbidity and quality of life of many people with type 2 diabetes. With current clinical guidelines recommending strict glycaemic control, it is likely that the clinical risk of hypoglycaemia will increase, such that better recognition of the symptoms of hypoglycaemia is increasingly important in order to reduce the risk of progression to more severe episodes. This article outlines a series of structured questions which may be useful in eliciting an accurate account of the frequency and severity of hypoglycaemic events.