Philip E. Cryer, MD: Seminal Contributions to the Understanding of Hypoglycemia and Glucose Counterregulation and the Discovery of HAAF (Cryer Syndrome)

Optimized glycemic control prevents and slows the progression of long-term complications in patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes. In healthy individuals, a decrease in plasma glucose below the physiological range triggers defensive counterregulatory responses that restore euglycemia. Many individuals with diabetes harbor defects in their defenses against hypoglycemia, making iatrogenic hypoglycemia the Achilles heel of glycemic control. This Profile in Progress focuses on the seminal contributions of Philip E. Cryer, MD, to our understanding of hypoglycemia and glucose counterregulation, particularly his discovery of the syndrome of hypoglycemia-associated autonomic failure (HAAF).