Video: When should glucagon be administered?

So basically glucagon is the hormone that balances out the insulin. So when the body is under stress, you know, if you're exercising, if you're sick, your body needs more glucose for energy or to heal the disease. So, you know, a normal person has that glucagon to produce glucose at the level of the liver to prevent hypoglycemia. Well, in type one diabetics, as well as type two diabetics that are on insulin or hypoglycemic medications, they're obviously at high risk of having hypoglycemic events because of these medications. So they have to be carrying glucagon with them. Glucagon is a lifesaver. Basically, if they have an episode of hypoglycemia and they can’t respond to it, meaning that they can’t like go and grab something, to eat something, to drink immediately, and they’ll pass out, they need this hormone to be able to bring the glucose levels up, and not having to, you know, call 911 having to be rushed to the hospital. And as a matter of fact, I want to show it to you. This is what a glucagon pen looks like. It sounds easy, but it's not. So the persons around you have to be able to know how to inject these because otherwise it will be useless. So luckily enough, we have now a nasal glucagon, which you just push and the glucose goes up. Because of the inhalation of the glucagon into your system it’s a much faster and much easier way for other people to be able to help you. But it's very important, and you know, unfortunately, physicians, we sometimes lack adding that prescription to our patients, but any diabetic that is on insulin or any medications that can cause hypoglycemia should have one of these with them all the time in my opinion.