Mother of man who died from dead in bed syndrome warns of 'silent killer'

The mother of a diabetic man who died after suffering an acute hypoglycaemic attack during the night has spoken out to raise awareness of his rare condition.

Glenn MacDonald, from Great Barr near Birmingham, died on 3 June last year at the age of 19. His death was attributed to 'Dead in Bed Syndrome' which is the sudden unexplained death of young people with type 1 diabetes.

Glenn's mother, Jackie MacDonald, told ITV News: "I don't think all diabetics are aware (of dead in bed syndrome). Even some nursing professionals who have heard about our plight and have been told about this (have) never heard of it.

"We've done more research since to find out that it's rare, but it does happen to people. I just want to make people more aware of the silent killer that diabetes is, that type 1 is totally different to type 2 and that it is life threatening."

How common is dead in bed syndrome?

It is relatively rare but is thought to account for about six per cent of cases of all deaths in under 40 year old people with type 1 diabetes.

What causes dead in bed syndrome?

There is little understanding of the syndrome, however a few theories have been put forward. One theory is that it could be caused by night time hypoglycaemia, triggering disturbances in heart rhythm. Another theory suggests that neuropathy may disrupt activity of the nerves to the heart.

Can dead in bed syndrome be prevented?

Whether or not the syndrome can be prevented depends on whether the theories on its cause are true. Given that the most popular theory is that it is caused by hypoglycaemia, it is thought that avoiding nocturnal hypoglycaemia is the best way to prevent dead in bed syndrome.

Dead in bed syndrome and human insulin

One theory suggests that dead in bed syndrome has become prevalent as a consequence of human (synthetic) insulin being used. However no research has been conclusive in proving that dead in bed syndrome could be a side effect of human insulins.

Can people with type 2 die from dead in bed syndrome?

There have not been any significant reports about dead in bed syndrome applying to people with type 2 diabetes.

For more about dead in bed syndrome, head to the Diabetes UK website.