Your patient is a known diabetic who takes up to four insulin injections a day.  Today he is found unresponsive, diaphoretic, and tachycardic. He is also only breathing 18 times a minute.  What is likely the patient’s chief medical issue?

A known insulin dependent diabetic with the above symptoms is most likely suffering from hypoglycemia. The tachycardia and diaphoresis is from a catecholamine release trying to mobilize more glucose. This patient may very well have hypertension; it just is not the reason for the unresponsiveness.