Diabetes type I (insulin dependent), beta-blockers and hypoglycemia

• Diabetes type I patients could not produce enough insulin due to destruction of beta-cells in Pancrease that produce insulin.
• These patients will get hyperglycemia (high blood glucose) if they do not take insulin.

• So, they will take insulin, to control the level of glucose.
• The level of glucose in the blood will decrease by doing that.

• Beta-blockers stimulate release of insulin from the remaining beta-cells.

• When these patients take beta-blockers and insulin at the same time, there will be over dose of insulin (own insulin + artificial insulin)
• Patient will get hypoglycemia (low blood glucose)

• Worse, beta-blockers ‘mask’ the hypoglycemic signs such as tremor and palpitation.
• The unlucky patient and the doctors wouldn’t notice that there is hypoglycemia going on.

• If left untreated, patient will die due to hypoglycemia.