Study of How Low Blood Sugar Affects the Way Blood Vessels Work

Purpose: The purpose of the research is to learn more about how low blood sugar (low blood glucose or hypoglycemia) affects the way the blood vessels work in healthy people. Subjects who participate in this research project must be in good health and taking no medications.

Methods: A screening visit to the Clinical Research Center of the Ohio State University will be used to assess eligibility to participate. The main study consists of two visits to the Clinical Research Center that occur two to four weeks apart. Each of these visits will involve a procedure known as an insulin clamp. This involves giving insulin and sugar water into a vein. The amount of sugar given varies to keep the blood sugar at a predetermined level. For one of the two visits the blood sugar will be low and the other it will be normal. The function of the blood vessels will be measured three times during each study by measuring blood flow before and after stopping blood flow to the arm for 5 min.

Inclusion criteria

• Age 18-40 years
• BMI <27 kg/m2

Exclusion criteria

• Pregnancy
• Systolic blood pressure >140 mmHg
• Diastolic Blood pressure >90 mg/dl
• Spot daytime urine microalbumin concentration > 20 μg/mg creatinine
• Past or present history of chronic disease (e.g. cancer, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, chronic inflammatory disease) other than diabetes in type 1 diabetic subjects.
• Use of non prescription medications in the past 3 days
• Use of prescription medications in the past 2 weeks