A hormone that stimulates the breakdown of stored glycogen into glucose and is released by the pancreas when the blood level of glucose is low.
Glucagon is used as an injected drug in the emergency treatment of people with diabetes mellitus who are unconscious as a result of low blood glucose. Nausea and vomiting are occasional adverse effects.
A hormone produced by the alpha cells of the pancreas that increases the release of sugar by the liver: it is hyperglycemic. The substance produced by the beta cells, insulin, induces many tissues (muscles particularly) to absorb glucose through their membranes and out of the blood; it is hypoglycemic.
A hormone secreted by the alpha cells of the islets of Langerhans in the PANCREAS, which increases the amount of glucose in the blood. This it does by promoting the breakdown of liver GLYCOGEN (glycogenolysis). It is secreted in response to a lowered blood sugar and is used therapeutically to treat HYPOGLYCAEMIA.
n. a hormone, produced by the pancreas, that causes an increase in the blood sugar level and thus has an effect opposite to that of *insulin. Glucagon is administered by injection to counteract diabetic *hypoglycaemia.
(GLP-1) a hormone – an *incretin – that is produced in the small intestine. GLP-1 has a half-life in the blood circulation of less than two minutes due to rapid breakdown by the enzyme dipeptidyl peptidase-IV (DPP-IV). It is a potent antihyperglycaemic hormone, stimulating the release of insulin from the pancreatic beta cells in response to a rising blood glucose level after eating. This glucose-sensitive action also allows the effect of GLP-1 on the beta cells to switch off when the blood glucose level comes down to the normal baseline between meals. Thus the *GLP-1 receptor agonist group of drugs, used in type 2 diabetes, can restrict the rise in blood glucose level after meals but have a low risk of causing subsequent *hypoglycaemia.... glucagon-like peptide-1
n. a usually malignant pancreatic tumour of the alpha cells of the *islets of Langerhans that secretes excessive amounts of glucagon and causes impaired glucose tolerance or diabetes, a specific dermatitis, and weight loss.... glucagonoma
a test for *phaeochromocytomas not displaying typically high levels of plasma *catecholamines. An intravenous bolus of *glucagon is administered and the test is positive when there is a threefold increase in plasma catecholamine levels with a consequent rise in blood pressure. The test is now very rarely used due to safer and more sensitive screening tests, combined with modern tumour imaging techniques.... glucagon stimulation test
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