Skip to content

Below 70? The 15-15 rule

All forDiabetes

Diabetes Mellitus and Thyroid Disorders

All for DiabetesPublished September 4, 20051 min read

The content on this site is for information only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. If someone with diabetes is confused, unconscious or cannot swallow, call 911 or your local emergency number.

Filed underDiabetes News
Diabetes News

Football club offers diabetes tests to 4,000 spectators

SHARJAH // Sharjah Football Club offered fans a little something extra to the usual excitement on the pitch during its match against Al Wahda yesterday: free blood-sugar and body-mass-index tests. More than 4,000 fans were also offered information leaflets as

3 min read

Low blood sugar

Below 70? Use the 15-15 rule.

Hypoglycemia can happen to anyone who takes insulin or certain diabetes tablets. Treat it straight away. If someone is confused, unconscious or can’t swallow, don’t give food or drink: use glucagon if it is available and call 911 or your local emergency number.

Common signs

  • Shaking or trembling
  • Sweating, clammy skin
  • Fast heartbeat
  • Dizziness
  • Hunger
  • Confusion or irritability
  1. STEP 115 gTake fast-acting sugar4 oz (½ cup) of juice or regular soda, 4 glucose tablets, or 1 tablespoon of sugar or honey.
  2. STEP 215 minWait, then recheckStill below 70 mg/dL? Take another 15 g and check again.
  3. STEP 3SnackOnce back in rangeEat a meal or snack if your next one is more than an hour away.

Based on American Diabetes Association guidance. Your care team may give you a different plan, for example for children or after severe lows. Outside the US, call your local emergency number.