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What Is Glucagon?
Glucagon is a 29-amino acid peptide hormone produced by alpha cells in the pancreatic islets. It works opposite to insulin, raising blood glucose levels when they fall too low. Glucagon is critical for preventing hypoglycemia and is a life-saving emergency treatment for severe insulin reactions.
Key Functions
- Stimulates liver glycogenolysis (glycogen breakdown)
- Promotes gluconeogenesis (glucose production)
- Raises blood glucose levels
- Inhibits glycogen synthesis
- Emergency treatment for severe hypoglycemia
Mechanism of Action
- Binds to glucagon receptor (GPCR) on liver cells
- Activates adenylyl cyclase → increases cAMP
- Activates protein kinase A
- Stimulates glycogen breakdown and glucose release
- Also promotes ketogenesis and lipolysis
Clinical Applications
| Indication | Route | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Severe hypoglycemia | IM, SC, IV, Nasal | Emergency treatment |
| Beta-blocker overdose | IV | Cardiac effects |
| Diagnostic imaging | IV, IM | Relaxes GI smooth muscle |
Modern Glucagon Products
- Baqsimi: Nasal spray (no injection needed)
- Gvoke: Premixed, room-temperature stable
- Glucagon Emergency Kit: Traditional reconstitution required
- Dasiglucagon (Zegalogue): Stable liquid form
Glucagon in Multi-Hormone Research
Glucagon is now part of multi-agonist drug development:
- GLP-1/glucagon dual agonists: For weight loss
- Triple agonists: GLP-1/GIP/glucagon (e.g., retatrutide)
- Glucagon component may enhance energy expenditure
- Balances glucose effects of other components
Medical Use
Glucagon is a prescription medication. While generally safe for emergency hypoglycemia treatment, it has limited effect in alcohol-induced hypoglycemia or glycogen-depleted states. Proper training in administration is important for caregivers of diabetics.
Summary
Glucagon is insulin's essential partner in glucose regulation. As an emergency medication, it saves lives by rapidly reversing severe hypoglycemia. Recent drug development has also recognized glucagon's metabolic effects, incorporating it into multi-receptor agonists for obesity treatment. Modern delivery systems have made glucagon more accessible for emergency use.