A New Medical Term: Hypoglycothermia
A concise descriptor for co-occurring hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) and hypothermia (low body temperature) in severe episodes.
First published December 7, 2025 | DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.17844743
What Is Hypoglycothermia?
Hypoglycothermia describes episodes in which hypoglycemia (blood glucose below 70 mg/dL or local threshold) and hypothermia (core temperature below 35°C / 95°F) occur together.
Research indicates this co-occurrence is more common than previously recognized, especially in severe episodes and neonatal populations. This term simplifies communication for clinicians, educators, patients, and families.
Why This Term Matters
Clinical studies have found hypothermia present in approximately 23% of severe hypoglycemia cases, especially in emergency departments and newborns. Yet no single term existed to describe this pattern.
Hypoglycothermia gives clinicians, educators, and families a clearer way to communicate during handovers, in classrooms, and in patient care. Better language can lead to faster recognition and more effective care.
Key Research Evidence:
“Hypothermia is a frequent sign of severe hypoglycemia in patients with diabetes.”
PubMed PMID: 22559928 (2012)“Hypothermia as a forgotten sign of prolonged severe hypoglycemia.”
PMC6119383 (2018)“Association of neonatal hypothermia with neonatal hypoglycemia.”
Frontiers in Endocrinology (2022)