Patient's question:
What are the differences between glucagon and insulin? What are the differences in their uses? Do diabetics need to use both of these medications?Doctor's answer:
Glucagon is primarily a hormone that lowers blood sugar, while insulin is a hormone that reduces blood sugar in the human body. The effects of the two are exactly opposite. Diabetics mainly refer to those whose blood sugar rises due to insufficient insulin secretion. Therefore, diabetic patients only need to digest insulin and do not need glucagon. Diabetic patients usually can adopt oral medications or restricted diets to control blood sugar and do not necessarily have to use insulin.