Journal of diabetes science and technology
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J Diabetes Sci Technol · Nov 2009
ReviewA review of perioperative glucose control in the neurosurgical population.
Significant fluctuations in serum glucose levels accompany the stress response of surgery or acute injury and may be associated with vascular or neurologic morbidity. Maintenance of euglycemia with intensive insulin therapy (IIT) continues to be investigated as a therapeutic intervention to decrease morbidity associated with derangements in glucose metabolism. ⋯ While extremes of glucose levels are to be avoided, there are little data to support specific use of IIT for maintenance of euglycemia in the perioperative management of neurosurgical patients. Existing data are summarized and reviewed in this context.
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J Diabetes Sci Technol · Nov 2009
ReviewReducing glycemic variability in intensive care unit patients: a new therapeutic target?
Acute hyperglycemia is common in critically ill patients. Strict control of blood glucose (BG) concentration has been considered important because hyperglycemia is associated independently with increased intensive care unit mortality. After intensive insulin therapy was reported to reduce mortality in selected surgical critically ill patients, lowering of BG levels was recommended as a means of improving patient outcomes. ⋯ Several studies have confirmed significant associations between variability of BG levels and patient outcomes. Decreasing the variability of the BG concentration may be an important dimension of glucose management. If reducing swings in the BG concentration is a major biologic mechanism behind the putative benefits of glucose control, it may not be necessary to pursue lower glucose levels with their attendant risk of hypoglycemia.
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J Diabetes Sci Technol · Nov 2009
ReviewAn overview of preoperative glucose evaluation, management, and perioperative impact.
Perioperative hyperglycemia is a common phenomenon affecting patients both with and without a known prior history of diabetes. Despite an exponential rise in publications and studies of inpatient hyperglycemia over the last decade, many questions still exist as to what defines optimal care of these patients. Initial enthusiasm for tight glycemic control has waned as the unanticipated reality of hypoglycemia and mortality has been realized in some prospective studies. ⋯ This review discusses perioperative hyperglycemia and the categories of patients affected by it. It reviews current recommendations for ambulatory diabetes screening and its importance in preoperative patient care. Finally, it concludes with a review of current practice guidelines, as well as a discussion of future direction and goals for inpatient perioperative glycemic control.
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J Diabetes Sci Technol · Nov 2009
ReviewPerioperative blood glucose monitoring in the general surgical population.
Several studies have shown a relationship between poor outcome and uncontrolled blood glucose (BG) in cardiac, neurosurgical, critical care, and general surgical patients. A major study showed that tight glycemic control (80-110mg/dl) was related to increased mortality. ⋯ Minimizing BG variability during surgery should be part of the glycemic control strategy. Advances in real-time glucose monitoring may soon benefit hospitalized diabetes and nondiabetes patients.
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J Diabetes Sci Technol · Nov 2009
ReviewAn overview of glycemic control in the coronary care unit with recommendations for clinical management.
The observation that elevated glucose occurs frequently in the setting of acute myocardial infarction was made decades ago. Since then numerous studies have documented that hyperglycemia is a powerful risk factor for increased mortality and in-hospital complications in patients with acute coronary syndromes. While some questions in this field have been answered in prior investigations, many critical gaps in knowledge continue to exist and remain subjects of intense debate. This review summarizes what is known about the relationship between hyperglycemia, glucose control, and outcomes in critically ill patients with acute coronary syndromes, addresses the gaps in knowledge and controversies, and offers general recommendations regarding glucose management in the coronary care unit.