Management and outcome of neonatal hypoglycemia
INTRODUCTION
During the normal transition to extrauterine life, plasma glucose (PG) concentration in the healthy term newborn falls during the first one to two hours after delivery, reaching a nadir with a median concentration of approximately 55 mg/dL. It is important to differentiate this normal physiologic transitional response from disorders that result in persistent or recurrent hypoglycemia, which, if left untreated, may lead to significant neurologic and developmental sequelae.
This topic will discuss the management and outcome of neonatal hypoglycemia, including evaluation of persistent hypoglycemia. The physiology of normal transient low glucose levels in neonates, causes of persistent or pathologic neonatal hypoglycemia, and the clinical manifestations and diagnosis of neonatal hypoglycemia are discussed separately. (See "Pathogenesis, screening, and diagnosis of neonatal hypoglycemia".)
GOALS
The goals of managing neonatal hypoglycemia are:
●To correct glucose levels in symptomatic patients (see "Pathogenesis, screening, and diagnosis of neonatal hypoglycemia", section on 'Clinical presentation')
●To prevent symptomatic hypoglycemia in at-risk patients
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