Adverse effect · Glucagon

How common is nausea and local discomfort with Glucagon?

A
Grade A — established in humans1 randomised crossover trial (n=75); approval programme · effect size: moderate · adverse
Short answerEstablished in humans. 1 randomised crossover trial (n=75); approval programme point the same way: a moderate effect. Nausea is intrinsic to glucagon and occurred at a third of visits by either route; the nasal route adds head and facial discomfort. Side effects that matter less than the hypoglycaemia being treated, and worth knowing before the emergency.

What the studies show

Nausea is intrinsic to glucagon and occurred at a third of visits by either route; the nasal route adds head and facial discomfort. Side effects that matter less than the hypoglycaemia being treated, and worth knowing before the emergency.

“Head/facial discomfort was reported during 25% of intranasal and 9% of intramuscular dosing visits; nausea (with or without vomiting) occurred with 35% and 38% of visits, respectively.”

Verbatim, from the abstractRickels MR, Ruedy KJ, Foster NC, et al. Intranasal glucagon for treatment of insulin-induced hypoglycemia in adults with type 1 diabetes: a randomized crossover noninferiority study. Diabetes Care, 2016;39:264–270

Several well-run randomised trials in people, pointing the same way. You can plan around this. It still says nothing about whether the effect is worth the side effects for you.

  1. 1

In context

Glucagon is the 29-amino-acid pancreatic hormone that mobilises stored glucose from the liver, and the emergency treatment for severe hypoglycaemia in people with diabetes. Modern formulations removed the reconstitution step that made the old kits hard to use in a crisis: a ready-to-use injection and a nasal powder. In a 75-person crossover trial the nasal powder raised blood glucose successfully at all but one dosing visit, against all visits for intramuscular injection. It is prescription-only everywhere LYO covers.

Glucagon is approved (rx). Legal status differs by country — see the regulation section or the jurisdiction pages.

Questions

Is Glucagon proven to cause nausea and local discomfort?
Yes, as far as human trials can show it: 1 randomised crossover trial (n=75); approval programme. LYO grades this outcome A.
What studies are behind the grade?
Nausea is intrinsic to glucagon and occurred at a third of visits by either route; the nasal route adds head and facial discomfort. Side effects that matter less than the hypoglycaemia being treated, and worth knowing before the emergency.
Is Glucagon approved for this?
Glucagon is an approved medicine (Approved (Rx)); whether this particular outcome is a licensed indication is stated on the compound page's regulation section.

Other outcomes for Glucagon

Written and maintained by LYO Research — how pages are written and checked. Reviewed 29 October 2026. Grades count human evidence only; see how LYO grades. Not medical advice. Correct this page →