Management of Inpatient Hyperglycemia in Noncritically Ill Patients
- M. Cecilia Lansang, MD, MPH and
- Guillermo E. Umpierrez, MD
Abstract
In Brief
Hyperglycemia in hospitalized patients is associated with increased morbidity, mortality, and length of hospital stay. Insulin counteracts the damaging processes caused by hyperglycemia and is therefore a logical choice in treating inpatient hyperglycemia. This article emphasizes the importance of using a physiological (basal-bolus) insulin regimen for noncritically ill hospitalized patients, discusses protocols for initiating and titrating insulin doses and for transitioning from insulin infusion to a subcutaneous regimen, and recommends insulin teaching as part of discharge planning for patients who were not on insulin before admission.
Footnotes
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M. Cecilia Lansang, MD, MPH, is an assistant professor of medicine in the Department of Medicine at the University of Florida in Gainesville. Guillermo E. Umpierrez, MD, is a professor of medicine in the Department of Medicine at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta, Ga.
- American Diabetes Association
