Abstract
Summary
1) In normal subjects sodium tolbutamide given intravenously in dosage of 40 mg/kg of actual body weight produced hypoglycemia comparable to that produced by insulin (0.1 unit/kg body weight) intravenously. In 3 of 5 subjects the fall in blood glucose took place within 5 minutes following injection of tolbutamide. 2) In 7 patients with stable diabetes the decrease in blood glucose following tolbutamide was slower than that with insulin and no fall occurred in 2 patients with unstable diabetes. 3) In normal persons and in the 7 diabetic patients who experienced a fall in blood glucose following tolbutamide, there was likewise a decrease in serum amino acids comparable to that following insulin. No fall in serum amino acids occurred in the 2 patients with unstable diabetes.
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