In adults, hypoglycemia is defined as a blood glucose less than what value for this protocol?

• A. <60 mg/dL
• B. <70 mg/dL
• C. <80 mg/dL
• D. <90 mg/dL

Answer: (C)

In this protocol, hypoglycemia in adults is defined as a blood glucose below 80 mg/dL. This higher threshold compared with the common 70 mg/dL benchmark provides a safety margin to prompt earlier treatment and reduce the risk of symptoms or complications, especially in prehospital or quick-acting treatment settings where measurement variability and rapid changes can occur. If the patient is conscious and able to swallow, administer a fast-acting carbohydrate to raise glucose; if not, follow the protocol for non-oral therapy such as IV dextrose or glucagon. 80 mg/dL is about 4.4 mmol/L.