Skip to main navigation

Skip to footer

For Medicare For Providers For Brokers For Employers

Español

For Individuals & Families:

For Individuals & Families

Shop for Plans

Medical

Dental

Other Supplemental

Explore coverage through work

How to Buy Health Insurance

Types of Dental Insurance

Open Enrollment vs. Special Enrollment

See all topics

Shop for Medicare plans

Member Guide

Find a Doctor

Home

Knowledge Center

Wellness Library

Diabetes: How to Give Glucagon

Overview

People with diabetes sometimes get very low blood sugar. If they are unconscious, they need glucagon right away.

Glucagon is a hormone that raises blood sugar quickly. It can be given as a shot or as a powder that's sprayed into the nose.

If someone close to you has diabetes, you may need to give them the glucagon shot or nose spray during a low blood sugar emergency.

Learn the steps for how to give glucagon either as a shot or a nose spray. Keep the instructions with the medicine. Review the steps often, and check the expiration date on the glucagon medicine.

Health Tools

Health Tools help you make wise health decisions or take action to improve your health.

Actionsets are designed to help people take an active role in managing a health condition.

Diabetes in Children: Treating Low Blood Sugar
Diabetes: Dealing With Low Blood Sugar From Insulin or Medicine

Giving the shot

A glucagon kit has a syringe that contains liquid. The kit also has a bottle that contains the medicine, which is a powder.

Follow the instructions in the kit to mix the powder and the liquid. Put this mixture back into the syringe. Follow the directions on the package for how much medicine to give.

1. **Choose the injection site.** Choose a clean area on the buttock, upper arm, or thigh where you will give the injection (shot).

2. **Insert the needle.** Keeping your fingers off the plunger, hold the syringe like a pencil close to the site. Then insert the needle.

3. **Give the injection.** Push the plunger of the syringe all the way in so the medicine goes in the body. Remove the needle from the skin slowly. Use the same angle you used to put it in.

4. **Turn the person on their side after giving the shot.** This can keep them from choking if they vomit.

5. **Call for emergency help.** After you give the glucagon shot, **call** 911 **or other emergency services**. If help has not arrived within 15 minutes and the person is still unconscious, give another glucagon shot.

6. **Give quick-sugar food.** Give some glucose tablets or quick-sugar food such as hard candy or juice when the person is alert and able to swallow. Also give them some long-acting source of carbohydrate such as crackers and cheese. Stay with the person until emergency help arrives.

Anytime a person who has diabetes gets glucagon, they should talk to a doctor to try to find out what caused the low blood sugar.

Giving the nasal spray

Glucagon nasal spray is absorbed through the membranes in the nose. It doesn't have to be inhaled. It will work even if the person getting the medicine has a cold. Follow the directions with the device.

1. Pull on the red tab, and remove the shrink wrap from the bottle.

2. Remove the nasal spray device from the bottle. Don't push the plunger until you're ready to give the medicine.

3. Hold the nasal spray device between your thumb and first two fingers.

4. Put the tip of the device into one nostril until your fingers touch the person's nose.

5. Push the plunger firmly until it stops. This completes the dose.

6. Turn the person on their side in case of vomiting.

7. Call 911.

When the person is alert and able to swallow, give a quick-sugar food like juice or jam. Glucose tablets will also work.

If the person isn't alert in 15 minutes and you have another spray device, you can give a second dose. (Each device contains one dose.) The person's blood sugar should be checked for several hours after glucagon is given.

Current as of: April 30, 2024

Author: Ignite Healthwise, LLC Staff

Clinical Review Board
All Ignite Healthwise, LLC education is reviewed by a team that includes physicians, nurses, advanced practitioners, registered dieticians, and other healthcare professionals.

This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Ignite Healthwise, LLC, disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. Learn how we develop our content.

To learn more about Ignite Healthwise, LLC, visit webmdignite.com.

Page Footer

I want to...

Get an ID card

File a claim

View my claims and EOBs

Check coverage under my plan

See prescription drug list

Find an in-network doctor, dentist, or facility

Find a form

Find 1095-B tax form information

View the Cigna Glossary

Contact Cigna

Audiences

Individuals and Families

Medicare

Employers

Brokers

Providers

Secure Member Sites

myCigna member portal

Health Care Provider portal

Cigna for Employers

Client Resource Portal

Cigna for Brokers

The Cigna Group Information

About Cigna Healthcare

Company Profile

Careers

Newsroom

Investors

Suppliers

The Cigna Group

Third Party Administrators

International

Evernorth

Privacy

Legal

Product Disclosures

Cigna Company Names

Customer Rights

Accessibility

Non-Discrimination Notice

Language Assistance [PDF]

Report Fraud

Sitemap

Cookie Settings

Disclaimer

Individual and family medical and dental insurance plans are insured by Cigna Health and Life Insurance Company (CHLIC), Cigna HealthCare of Arizona, Inc., Cigna HealthCare of Illinois, Inc., Cigna HealthCare of Georgia, Inc., Cigna HealthCare of North Carolina, Inc., Cigna HealthCare of South Carolina, Inc., and Cigna HealthCare of Texas, Inc. Group health insurance and health benefit plans are insured or administered by CHLIC, Connecticut General Life Insurance Company (CGLIC), or their affiliates (see a listing of the legal entities that insure or administer group HMO, dental HMO, and other products or services in your state). Accidental Injury, Critical Illness, and Hospital Care plans or insurance policies are distributed exclusively by or through operating subsidiaries of Cigna Corporation, are administered by Cigna Health and Life Insurance Company, and are insured by either (i) Cigna Health and Life Insurance Company (Bloomfield, CT); (ii) Life Insurance Company of North America (“LINA”) (Philadelphia, PA); or (iii) New York Life Group Insurance Company of NY (“NYLGICNY”) (New York, NY), formerly known as Cigna Life Insurance Company of New York. The Cigna name, logo, and other Cigna marks are owned by Cigna Intellectual Property, Inc. LINA and NYLGICNY are not affiliates of Cigna.

All insurance policies and group benefit plans contain exclusions and limitations. For availability, costs and complete details of coverage, contact a licensed agent or Cigna sales representative. This website is not intended for residents of New Mexico.

Selecting these links will take you away from Cigna.com to another website, which may be a non-Cigna website. Cigna may not control the content or links of non-Cigna websites. Details