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Diabetes news: Updating your familyÂ’s low blood sugar rescue plan

2020-03-10T08:01:00

(BPT) - Sponsored by Eli Lilly and Company

As a parent or loved one of a child with diabetes, you know that blood sugar lows can happen, even with the best blood sugar monitoring and management plans. While generally not common, low blood sugar emergencies (severe hypoglycemia) can happen unexpectedly, anytime, anywhere. Having a rescue plan in place, whether at home, school, while visiting friends or on the soccer field, is essential to keeping them safe and healthy, just in case.

With a non-injectable prescription glucagon rescue therapy available, now is a great time to talk to your child’s diabetes care team about treatment options and to update your low blood sugar emergency rescue plan. You should also reconnect with your child’s family members, teachers, friends’ parents and coaches about how they can help in case your child experiences a blood sugar emergency while in their care.

“By speaking with your child’s healthcare provider, taking a few steps to prepare and having a low blood sugar rescue plan in place, parents can feel more secure knowing that they and others caring for their child are ready to help at a moment’s notice,” says Teresa L Pearson*, MS, RN, CDCES, FADCES.

Pearson suggests considering and talking to your child’s diabetes care team about some of the following steps when updating your child’s low blood sugar emergency rescue plan:

Talk to your child about the signs of low blood sugar

Have ongoing conversations with your child about what signs and symptoms they may expect when experiencing low blood sugar. Since symptoms vary from person to person, consider developing a symptom tracker that your child can use to help distinguish and recognize the signs of how they experience a low or very low blood sugar event and can help you better understand how low blood sugar impacts her or him. Also, remember to encourage them to speak up when they begin to notice symptoms.

Put together a “Hypo Box”

Gather all of the supplies your child may need in case of a low blood sugar event in a “Hypo Box” and share it with your child’s caregivers such as school nurses, coaches and grandparents. Consider doing this for places where your child spends the most time. The Hypo Box could contain prescription glucagon, test strips, lancets, a blood sugar monitor, glucose tablets, juice boxes and crackers, along with instructions on what to do in case of a low blood sugar event or emergency. Don’t forget to keep it stocked and ensure that all contents have not yet expired!

Remind your child’s teachers, coaches, family and friends how to spot low blood sugar

Provide a list and explain the signs of low blood sugar as caregivers may recognize symptoms like dizziness, sweating and irritability before your child does. Remind caregivers that if low blood sugar goes untreated, it can drop even lower very quickly, leading to more serious symptoms including confusion and unconsciousness.

Consider a non-injectable rescue option

For years, injectable glucagon was the only prescription rescue therapy for low blood sugar emergencies. Today, BAQSIMI® (glucagon) nasal powder 3 mg offers a non-injectable option. BAQSIMI is the first and only dry nasal spray that can treat severe hypoglycemia in people with diabetes ages 4 years and above. It is a form of glucagon given as a puff in the nose. It does not need to be inhaled and can be given even if they are passed out or if your child has nasal congestion. It is compact, portable and ready to use (no reconstitution or injection required) in a precise and premeasured dose. It requires no refrigeration and can be stored in temperatures up to 86F and 30C degrees. BAQSIMI is designed to be simple and is meant to be used when someone is having a low blood sugar emergency, which means the person is unable to eat or drink and needs help from another person. Do not use BAQSIMI if: you have a tumor in the gland on top of your kidneys (adrenal gland) called pheochromocytoma; you have a tumor in your pancreas called insulinoma; you are allergic to glucagon, or any other ingredient in BAQSIMI. You can learn more at www.baqsimi.com.

Update your child’s caregivers and support network on how to helpWhile some people in your child’s support network may be familiar with how to help in the event of a low blood sugar emergency, updating your plan and introducing a non-injectable rescue option is a good way to reconnect with your child's caregivers about how they can be ready to help. Explaining and showing the differences between insulin and rescue glucagon can be very important to prepare your child’s support network in advance of an emergency.

Talk to your child’s doctor about what rescue medication option and low blood sugar emergency rescue plan are right for your child and their support network.

*Note: Teresa Pearson received compensation from Lilly for her participation in this article.

PURPOSE and SAFETY SUMMARY

Important Facts About BAQSIMI™ (BAK-see-mee). It is also known as glucagon nasal powder.

BAQSIMI is a prescription medicine used to treat very low blood sugar (severe hypoglycemia) in people with diabetes ages 4 years and above.

It is not known if BAQSIMI is safe and effective in children under 4 years of age.

Warnings

Do not use BAQSIMI if:

  • you have a tumor in the gland on top of your kidneys (adrenal gland) called pheochromocytoma.
  • you have a tumor in your pancreas called insulinoma.
  • you are allergic to glucagon, or any other ingredient in BAQSIMI.

BAQSIMI may cause serious side effects, including:

High blood pressure. BAQSIMI can cause high blood pressure in certain people with tumors in their adrenal glands.

Low blood sugar. BAQSIMI can cause certain people with tumors in their pancreas to have low blood sugar.

Serious allergic reaction. Call your doctor or get medical help right away if you have a serious allergic reaction including:

  • rash
  • difficulty breathing
  • low blood pressure

Common side effects

The most common side effects of BAQSIMI include:

  • nausea
  • vomiting
  • headache
  • runny nose
  • discomfort in your nose
  • stuffy nose
  • redness in your eyes
  • itchy nose, throat, and eyes
  • watery eyes

These are not all the possible side effects of BAQSIMI. For more information, ask your doctor.

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You are encouraged to report side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch, or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

Before using

Before getting BAQSIMI, tell your health care provider about all your medical conditions, including if you:

  • have a tumor in your pancreas.
  • have not had food or water for a long time (prolonged fasting or starvation).
  • are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.
  • are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. It is not known if BAQSIMI passes into your breast milk. You and your doctor should decide if you can use BAQSIMI while breastfeeding.

Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.

How to use

Read the detailed Instructions for Use that comes with BAQSIMI.

Use BAQSIMI exactly how your doctor tells you to use it.

Make sure your caregiver knows where you keep your BAQSIMI and how to use BAQSIMI the right way before you need their help.

Your doctor will tell you how and when to use BAQSIMI.

BAQSIMI contains only 1 dose of medicine and cannot be reused.

BAQSIMI should be given in one side of your nose (nostril) but does not need to be inhaled.

BAQSIMI will work even if you have a cold or are taking cold medicine.

After giving BAQSIMI, the caregiver should call for emergency medical help right away.

If the person does not respond after 15 minutes, another dose may be given, if available.

Tell your doctor each time you use BAQSIMI.

Store BAQSIMI at temperatures up to 86°F (30°C).

Keep BAQSIMI in the shrink wrapped tube until you are ready to use it.

Keep BAQSIMI and all medicines out of the reach of children.

Learn more

For more information, call 1-800-545-5979 or go to www.baqsimi.com.

Medicines are sometimes prescribed for purposes other than those listed in a Patient Information leaflet. Do not use BAQSIMI for a condition for which it was not prescribed. Do not give BAQSIMI to other people, even if they have the same symptoms that you have. It may harm them.

This summary provides basic information about BAQSIMI but does not include all information known about this medicine. You can ask your pharmacist or doctor for information about BAQSIMI that is written for health professionals. This information does not take the place of talking with your doctor. Be sure to talk to your doctor or other health care provider about BAQSIMI and how to take it. Your doctor is the best person to help you decide if BAQSIMI is right for you.

BAQSIMI™ is a trademark owned or licensed by Eli Lilly and Company, its subsidiaries, or affiliates.

GN CON BS 24JUL19

PP-GN-US-0412 02/2020 © Lilly USA, LLC 2020. All rights reserved.

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