Journal of diabetes science and technology
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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.
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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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Hyperglycemia can be a significant problem in the trauma population and has been shown to be associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Hyperglycemia in the trauma patient, as in other critically ill patients, is caused by a hypermetabolic response to stress and seems to be an entity of its own rather than simply a marker. Although several early studies in a mixed intensive care unit population indicated that insulin protocols aimed at strict glucose control improved outcome, later studies did not support this and, in fact, encountered increased complications due to hypoglycemia. More recent studies in the trauma population, while supporting the correlation between hyperglycemia and increased mortality, seemed to indicate that protocols aimed at moderate glucose control improved outcome while limiting the incidence of hypoglycemic complications.
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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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Hyperglycemia in the critically ill is a well-known phenomenon, even in those without known diabetes. The stress response is due to a complex interplay between counter-regulatory hormones, cytokines, and changes in insulin sensitivity. Illness/infection, overfeeding, medications (e.g., corticosteroids), insufficient insulin, and/or volume depletion can be additional contributors. ⋯ A moderate approach to managing critical illness hyperglycemia seems most prudent at this juncture. Future research should ascertain whether there are certain subgroups of patients that would benefit from tighter glycemic goals. It also remains to be seen if tight glucose control is beneficial once hypoglycemia is minimized with technological advances such as continuous glucose monitoring systems.