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Diabetes Management November 3, 2026 SweetLife Team

Glucagon Emergency Kit, Nasal Spray or Auto-Injector: How Each One Works

Most lows can be fixed with juice or glucose tablets. Glucagon is for the one that can’t: when someone is too confused, drowsy or unconscious to eat or drink safely. It is the one piece of diabetes kit that someone else will almost always have to use for you, which is why it is worth understanding before anyone ever needs it.

This article is general education, not medical advice. Follow the instructions that come with your own glucagon, and if someone is unconscious or having a seizure, call emergency services.

What Glucagon Does

Glucagon is a hormone that raises blood sugar by telling the liver to break down its stored glucose (glycogen) and release it into the blood. Because it works through the liver’s stores, it needs those stores to be there: the prescribing information notes that hepatic glycogen is necessary for glucagon to work.

Who Should Have It

The American Diabetes Association’s Standards of Care recommend that glucagon be prescribed for everyone taking insulin or at high risk of hypoglycemia. Family, caregivers, school staff and anyone else who supports that person should know where it is kept and how to give it.

The ADA also prefers glucagon that does not have to be mixed before use. Nasal and ready-to-inject versions are now widely available, and the ADA says they are easier to give, which gets a person’s glucose back up faster.

The Four Types

Glucagon comes in four forms in the US. Ages and doses below are from each product’s US prescribing information; your own prescription is what counts.

Traditional glucagon kit

The original form, now made by several companies: a vial of powder and a syringe of liquid. You inject the liquid into the vial, swirl until the powder fully dissolves and the solution is clear, draw it back into the syringe and inject it into the upper arm, thigh or buttock. The dose is 1 mg, or 0.5 mg for children under 20 kg. It works, but it means several steps under pressure.

Baqsimi nasal powder

A single 3 mg dose puffed into one nostril. The person does not need to breathe it in, and there is nothing to mix or inject. It is approved for ages 1 and older.

Gvoke

Ready-to-use liquid glucagon, as the HypoPen auto-injector, a prefilled syringe or a kit, injected under the skin of the lower abdomen, outer thigh or outer upper arm. It is approved for ages 2 and older: 1 mg from age 12, and for children aged 2 to 11, 0.5 mg under 45 kg or 1 mg at 45 kg or more.

Zegalogue

Dasiglucagon, a ready-to-use form of glucagon, in an auto-injector or prefilled syringe. The dose is 0.6 mg, injected into the lower abdomen, buttocks, thigh or outer upper arm, for ages 6 and older.

How to Give It, and What Comes Next

  1. Give the glucagon following the instructions on the device or kit.
  2. Call for emergency help immediately. Every one of these products’ labels says so.
  3. Turn the person onto their side. People may vomit as they come round, and lying on their side helps prevent choking.
  4. If there is no response after 15 minutes, a second dose from a new device may be given while waiting for help.
  5. Once they are awake and can swallow safely, give fast-acting sugar such as juice, then something to eat.

Each device holds one dose and cannot be reused.

Two things never to do: do not put food or drink in the mouth of someone who cannot swallow safely, and never give insulin to someone who is low. The ADA specifically says everyone supporting a person with diabetes should be taught that second point.

Storage

Whichever you have, check the expiry date now and then, and replace it after it has been used.

Teach the People Around You

Glucagon only helps if someone nearby knows where it is and feels able to use it. Show the people you spend the most time with where you keep it, walk them through how the device works, and keep one where you spend your days: at home, at work or school, in a bag. Five minutes of practice now beats reading instructions in an emergency.

Where SweetLife Fits

Glucagon is the last line of defense; the goal is to catch lows long before. With SweetLife’s family sharing, someone you choose can get an alert when your glucose goes low, so they know even if you don’t feel it. Your emergency card keeps your insulin details, allergies and emergency contacts in one place for whoever is helping. Our guide to remote monitoring explains how sharing works, and our guide to low blood sugar symptoms and treatment covers the everyday lows.

The Short Version

Glucagon raises blood sugar when someone is too low to eat or drink safely. The ADA recommends it for everyone on insulin and prefers the forms that need no mixing: Baqsimi nasal powder, Gvoke and Zegalogue. After giving it, call for help, turn the person on their side, give a second dose after 15 minutes if there is no response, and give sugar once they can swallow. Make sure the people around you know where yours is.

Sources

Medical Disclaimer: This article is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your physician or qualified healthcare provider with any questions about a medical condition or changes to your diabetes management plan, including medication and insulin dosing. SweetLife is a tracking and logging tool, not a medical device, and does not provide medical advice.

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