A patient with diabetes experiences episodes of hypoglycemia. Which medication adjustment would be most appropriate?

In patients with diabetes who experience episodes of hypoglycemia, adjusting medications can be crucial for managing their blood glucose levels safely. Sulfonylureas are known to stimulate insulin release from the pancreas, which can lead to lower blood glucose levels and an increased risk of hypoglycemia. Therefore, decreasing the dosage of sulfonylurea is an appropriate adjustment since it would directly reduce the likelihood of these episodes.

Other medications such as metformin do not typically cause hypoglycemia on their own, so reducing or stopping metformin is not justified based on hypoglycemic episodes. Increasing carbohydrate intake might help prevent hypoglycemia in some instances, but it does not address the underlying medication issue causing the blood sugar drops. Hence, adjusting the sulfonylurea dosage is the most effective approach to prevent further hypoglycemic episodes while still adequately managing the patient’s diabetes.