Postprandial Hypoglycemia

ostprandial hypoglycemia means hypoglycemia that occurred 2-5 hours after meal, which caused by excessive insulin secretion as a result of after meal increase of blood glucose. In contrast to normal condition blood glucose concentration after 2 hours of meal is higher than fasting. Postprandial hypoglycemia sometimes occurs without symptoms. This issue often raised by doctors that complained about false results from laboratory. In reality this condition happened due to postprandial glucose values not only it can be lower than during fasting but it could result in postprandial hypoglycemia. Symptoms may be observed namely tired, tremor, palpitation, irritability and even syncope. Postprandial hypoglycemia may be caused by drugs (e.g. salicylate, beta-blocker, pentamidine, ACE inhibitor, disophyramide), increased insulin sensitivity, early sign of diabetes mellitus (prediabetes), alcohol intake and post gastrectomy (alimentary hypoglycemia) and idiopathic. Laboratory tests for postprandial hypoglycemia include ambulatory glucose sampling, breakfast test or meal tolerance test. Diagnosis of hypoglycemia postprandial may be build if there are hypoglycemia symptoms after meal with postprandial blood glucose <50 mg/dL.