Hypoglycemic disorders.

Hypoglycemia occurs as an epiphenomenon in many serious diseases and further investigation may be unnecessary. In other, often seemingly healthy individuals, it is responsible for their presenting symptoms. In them preliminary diagnosis depends on demonstrating a low blood glucose concentration during spontaneous symptoms by ambulatory self-collection of capillary blood and its analysis for glucose in the laboratory. Subsequent investigation requires appropriate plasma hormone analysis on blood collected while the patient is hypoglycemic.