Análise dos óbitos por hipoglicemia no Brasil entre 2008 e 2022

Abstract

Hypoglycemia is defined as a reduction in blood glucose levels below 70 mg/dL, which can cause cardiovascular and neurological symptoms, reduce quality of life, and be fatal. The main risk factors include skipping meals, the use of hypoglycemic medications such as those used for diabetes mellitus, and excessive alcohol consumption. There are also socioeconomic risk factors, such as food insecurity, low income, and limited health education. However, there is currently a lack of epidemiological studies on hypoglycemia in Brazil. Thus, the objective of this study is to analyze the epidemiological profile of deaths due to hypoglycemia in Brazil between 2008 and 2022. This is an ecological, analytical, and quantitative study using publicly available secondary data from the Mortality Information System. Data analysis revealed an increasing trend in mortality due to hypoglycemia in Brazil (median of 2.51 deaths per year per million inhabitants, with a slope coefficient of 0.107), and in all regions except the South. Deaths were predominantly observed in males (59.12%), individuals of mixed race (44.33%), those aged 60 years or older (63.62%), and individuals with up to three years of education (48.47%). Additionally, most cases occurred in hospitals (73.41%), with the highest mortality rates in the Northeast and Southeast regions (medians of 2.47 and 2.26 deaths per year per million inhabitants, respectively). Furthermore, the 2021–2022 biennium, during the COVID-19 pandemic, stood out as the period with the highest increase in hypoglycemia-related mortality (an increase of 0.41 and 0.43 deaths per million inhabitants compared to the previous year). Notably, the first year of life had the highest number of deaths within the 0–19 age group, accounting for 78.68% of the period.