Severe hypoglycemia can escalate rapidly. The CDC states that immediate treatment is essential.

What’s happening

Older glucagon kits required mixing, shaking, and injecting—difficult for non-medical caregivers. Newer nasal glucagon simplifies emergency response. In 2025, she explained:

“It works super fast… it’s good for anyone to have around if someone else has to save your life.”
— Sally Figueroa

What you can do

• Ask your provider whether nasal glucagon fits your regimen
• Check discount programs for price reductions
• Store glucagon in multiple locations (home, bag, car)

What to avoid

• Relying solely on quick sugar sources
• Assuming loved ones know how to use injectable kits

How to move forward

 One tool can prevent both a medical emergency and an overwhelming bill.

Our Pay It Forward Approach

Every small act of sharing creates a ripple. If this piece resonated with you, consider sending it to someone who might need the same hope today—or leave us a comment in the section below with your own saving story so thousands can benefit from it. No one should have to navigate the cost of illness alone.

Verification Note

Checked and verified active December 2025.
All sources are government, nonprofit, peer-reviewed, or FDA-regulated institutional sources directly supporting clinical, safety, and cost-prevention claims in this article.

Severe hypoglycemia risk, urgency, and emergency response

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) — Low Blood Sugar (Hypoglycemia): Symptoms, Treatment, and Emergency Guidance
Official CDC guidance confirming that severe hypoglycemia is a medical emergency requiring immediate intervention to prevent seizures, coma, or death.
https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/basics/low-blood-sugar.html

CDC — National Diabetes Statistics Report: Acute Complications of Diabetes
Documents emergency department utilization and hospitalization associated with severe hypoglycemia events.
https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/data/statistics-report/acute-complications.html

Glucagon as standard of care for severe hypoglycemia

American Diabetes Association (ADA) — Hypoglycemia (Low Blood Glucose)
Clinical guidance stating that glucagon should be prescribed for anyone at risk of severe hypoglycemia and made available to caregivers.
https://diabetes.org/diabetes/medication-management/blood-glucose-testing-and-control/hypoglycemia

ADA Standards of Care in Diabetes — 2024, Section 6: Glycemic Targets
Recommends ready-to-use glucagon products for emergency treatment and caregiver administration.
https://diabetesjournals.org/care/article/47/Supplement_1/S98/153948/6-Glycemic-Targets-Standards-of-Care

Nasal glucagon vs. injectable kits (ease of use & safety)

U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) — Baqsimi (glucagon nasal powder) Approval Summary
Details FDA evaluation showing nasal glucagon is safe, effective, and usable by non-medical caregivers without injection or reconstitution.
https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2019/210880s000lbl.pdf

New England Journal of Medicine — Intranasal Glucagon for Hypoglycemia
Peer-reviewed study demonstrating equivalent efficacy to injectable glucagon with faster, simpler administration.
https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1607449

Caregiver usability and real-world effectiveness

Journal of Diabetes Science and Technology — Caregiver Administration of Nasal Glucagon
Shows significantly higher successful administration rates among untrained caregivers compared to injectable kits.
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1932296819859151

Endocrine Society — Severe Hypoglycemia Clinical Practice Guidance
Confirms that simplified glucagon delivery reduces treatment delays and emergency escalation.
https://www.endocrine.org/clinical-practice-guidelines/hypoglycemia

Emergency cost prevention and ER utilization

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) — Emergency Department Visits for Hypoglycemia
Documents average emergency-department costs associated with severe hypoglycemia events.
https://www.hcup-us.ahrq.gov/reports/statbriefs/sb269-Hypoglycemia-ED-Visits.jsp

Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) — The Cost of Emergency Care in the U.S.
Provides context for how preventable emergencies translate into multi-thousand-dollar bills.
https://www.kff.org/health-costs/issue-brief/the-cost-of-emergency-care-in-the-united-states/

Access, affordability, and discount pathways

NeedyMeds — Glucagon Patient Assistance and Savings Programs
Database of manufacturer savings cards and assistance programs for emergency diabetes medications.
https://www.needymeds.org/drug_list.taf?_function=name&name=glucagon

Patient Advocate Foundation — Emergency Medication Access & Appeals
Guidance for obtaining coverage exceptions, early refills, and emergency overrides.
https://www.patientadvocate.org/explore-our-resources/insurance-denials-appeals/