Glucose 50% Injectable: Severe Hypoglycaemia Use
Hypertonic glucose guidance for severe hypoglycaemia in adults, with warnings about extravasation and pediatric dilution.
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Source reviewed
source date listed on the source page
Guide category
Injectable drugs
Safety boundary
Prescription medicine information for clinician-guided use.
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Indications
Treatment of severe hypoglycaemia.
Forms and strengths, route of administration
- 50% hypertonic glucose solution in 50 ml vial, 500 mg/ml, for slow IV injection over 3 to 5 minutes.
- Never by IM or SC injection.
Dose and duration
- Adult: 1 ml/kg by slow IV injection.
- Check blood glucose level 15 minutes after injection. If blood glucose is still below target, administer a second dose or give oral glucose according to the patient’s clinical condition.
Contra-indications, adverse effects, precautions
The solution is viscous: use a large vein and a large calibre needle.
- May cause vein irritation.
- May cause severe tissue damage in the event of extravasation.
- 50% glucose solution is too viscous, concentrated, and irritant to be used in children.
- In children use 10% glucose solution. If ready-made 10% glucose is not available, add 10 ml of 50% glucose per 100 ml of 5% glucose to obtain a 10% solution.
Source
MSF Essential drugs practical guidelines (January 2026)
This page combines source-derived medicine reference sections with Kenza editorial context, while leaving out the Storage and Remarks sections from the source batch.
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