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Inpatient Hyperglycemia Management. Inpatient Hyperglycemia: General Points. Avoid the temptation to “ignore” the patient’s diabetes Try to distinguish type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Patients with type 1 diabetes will require at least some basal insulin at ALL times, even when NPO.
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Inpatient Hyperglycemia:General Points • Avoid the temptation to “ignore” the patient’s diabetes • Try to distinguish type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Patients with type 1 diabetes will require at least some basal insulin at ALL times, even when NPO. • Assess pre-admission medications and recent glycemic control. • Diet should be individualized, based on body weight and other comorbidities. Consider a nutrition services consult.
General Points, continued • Order fingerstick glucose monitoring 4 times daily in all patients with diabetes (pre-meal and hs if eating; q6h if NPO) for at least the first 48 hours • Glucose targets in non-pregnant, non-ICU patients should be 90-130 mg/dl, with glucose readings before meals. * • Revise insulin doses every 1-2 days based on results of fingerstick glucose testing. * Current position statements suggest premeal targets <110 mg/dl, and < 180 mg/dl at all other times for non-ICU patients
Blood Glucose Targets • Labor and Delivery • 100 mg/dl • Critical Care Units • 110 mg/dl • Non-Critical Care Units • 90-130 mg/dl pre-meal (midpoint 110 mg/dl) • 180 mg/dl maximal American Diabetes Association, 2005
Glucose Measurements • The standard measure is venous or plasma glucose • Whole blood glucose is 12-15% less than venous glucose, and may be influenced by hematocrit • Arterial blood is 7% greater that venous blood, with less of a difference in fasting or postabsorptive states • Capillary (fingerstick) blood is similar to arterial blood • From a practical standpoint, capillary blood or arterial blood are used for glucose measurements in hospital, and in a fasting state, are sufficiently close to venous measurements to guide therapy
General Points, continued • Do NOT leave patients on regular insulin “sliding scale” as the ONLY form of treatment. • Try to approximate the at home regimen as long as possible BEFORE discharge • Utilize the admission as a teaching opportunity for those patients who lack knowledge about their diabetes. Consider Diabetes Education consultation.
For patients treated with oral agents prior to admission: • NPO, well-controlled on oral hypoglycemic agents (OHA): • D/C OHA and use TEMPORARY insulin “sliding scale” • NPO, well-controlled on oral agent that does not result in hypoglycemia: • D/C metformin • Thiazolidinediones may be continued • D/C alpha-glucosidase inhibitors
For patients treated with oral agents prior to admission: • NPO, poorly controlled on OHA: • Use insulin. “Sliding scale” can be used for 24-48 hours. If it is clear that patients will require insulin on discharge, proceed with the addition of a long/intermediate-acting insulin
For patients treated with oral agents prior to admission: • Eating, well-controlled on OHA or other oral agent: • Continue OHA • D/C metformin if unstable, in CHF, dehydrated or with impaired renal function • Continue thiazolidinediones • Continue alpha-glucosidase inhibitors
For patients treated with oral agents prior to admission: • Eating, but poorly controlled on oral agents: • Consider adding a second agent, HOWEVER, since this often takes weeks to optimize, it is usually preferable to proceed with insulin therapy.
Type 1 DM Consider using an iv insulin infusion. (This technique is underutilized in hospital) Alternatively, give 1/2-2/3 of intermediate/long-acting insulin + “sliding scale” Unless markedly hyperglycemic, provide D5W Check BG every 6 hours (q 1-2 hours on iv insulin) NOTE: Insulin is NEVER to be stopped entirely in patients with type 1 diabetes. Type 2 DM Insulin-treated patients may demonstrated excellent control when diet restricted alone, and may require only “sliding scale” Alternatively, give ½ of long/intermediate-acting insulin + “sliding scale” Unless markedly hyperglycemic, provide D5W with insulin Check BG every 6 hours NOTE: Significantly insulinopenic patients are more easily managed as if they had type 1 diabetes, i.e., with iv insulin For NPO insulin-treated patients:
For insulin-treated patients who are eating: Continue usual insulin regimen. It may be desirable for the knowledgeable and skilled patient to perform diabetes self-management while in hospital.
Fingerstick Glucose Monitoring • Perform 4 times daily (ac and hs) for patients on most insulin regimens. • Perform 1-2 times daily for patients on oral agents or only one insulin injection, if in good control. • Fingerstick glucose should be recorded on a bedside log, along with the corresponding insulin administered (all types of insulin)
Hypoglycemia orders: • Patient alert and cooperative: • Give 15 gm CHO • 4 oz juice/soda is 15 gm carbohydrate • 3-2.5 inch graham crackers is 15 gm carbohydrate • Recheck in 15 minutes, repeat until glucose > 70 mg/dl • Non-alert patient: • Give 25 gm dextrose iv (1/2 amp D50W) or 1 mg glucagon im (if no venous access). Recheck glucose after 5-10 minutes, retreat as necessary. • If severe, or related to OHA or long-acting insulin, consider iv dextrose as D5W or D10W. • Investigate cause and modify treatment regimen as indicated.
Think Twice When Ordering “Sliding Scales” • Regular insulin “sliding scale” should be discouraged as the sole diabetes treatment in hospitalized patients, since it does little more than respond in a belated fashion to poor glycemic control. • Instead, treatment of hyperglycemia in a proactive fashion is preferred, with use of long-acting insulins in combination with short and rapid acting insulins, i.e., physiologic insulin replacement. • In certain patients who are NPO, or in those in whom it is difficult to predict requirements, “sliding scale” for 24-48 hours is acceptable. Patients with severe insulin deficiency (all type 1 and some type 2 patients) must also be provided basal insulin replacement.
Peri-Op Orders:General Points • Type 1 diabetes: • Patients need insulin at ALL times, even NPO. • Place on iv insulin • If on HS insulin glargine, this can be given as usual • Type 2 diabetes: • Hold OHA, metformin, and alpha-glucosidase inhibitors on the day of procedure. Hold sustained release metformin the day before. • Thiazolidinediones can be given, if pills allowed. • If on insulin, give ½ of intermediate insulin (NPH) in the morning, or continue insulin glargine • OR • Place on iv insulin
Intravenous Insulin Infusion • Indications: • Diabetic ketoacidosis* • Hyperosmolar hyperglycemic state* • Uncontrolled diabetes despite subcutaneous insulin • Total parenteral nutrition (TPN) • Patients with type 1 diabetes who are NPO, perioperative, in labor and delivery • Any patient post-MI with hyperglycemia • Any ICU patient with hyperglycemia * Should NOT use preprinted iv insulin orders. See Diabetes Care 2004;27(1):S94
Continuous Intravenous Insulin • Discontinue previous insulin orders (there may be overlapping basal insulin) • Carbohydrate is to be given at the same time • Enteral feeding • CVN • D5W 0.45 NS
Continuous Intravenous Insulin • Insulin infusion is Regular insulin 100 units/100 ml of Sodium Chloride 0.9 % (1 unit of insulin/1 ml of NS) • Target blood sugar can be specified but is recommended to be 90-130 mg/dl
Dose Adjustments • Four algorithms with insulin infusion rates for blood sugar ranges are used to determine dose adjustments • To make a dose adjustment you need to know • Algorithm being used • Current blood sugar • Previous blood sugar
Dose Adjustments • The previous blood sugar compared with the current blood sugar may determine the need to • Move up to the next higher algorithm (e.g., from algorithm 2 to algorithm 3) or • Down to the next lesser algorithm (e.g., from algorithm 2 to algorithm 1)
Dose Adjustments • Current blood sugar and where it is located in the algorithm being used may determine the dose adjustment • Blood sugar of 126 mg/dl in algorithm 2 is a rate of 1.5 units/hour • If the blood sugar is greater than 140 mg/dl and it is increasing, it will be necessary to move up to the next higher algorithm
Rate Adjustment Criteria The half life of intravenous insulin is 5-10 minutes.
Scheduled Subcutaneous Insulin Orders • Pre-meal or bolus insulin • Insulin type • Number of units • Basal insulin • Insulin type • Number of units
Scheduled Subcutaneous Insulin Orders • Pre-meal correction insulin algorithms based on insulin sensitivity • Low dose algorithm for patients who require up to 40 units of insulin /day • Medium dose algorithm for patients requiring 40-80 of insulin/day • High dose algorithm for patient requiring over 80 units of insulin/day • Individualized algorithm for correction may be written instead
Scheduled Subcutaneous Insulin Orders • Targets are specified • Frequency and timing of blood sugar checks are to be specified • Point-of- care test results done within 30 minutes are used to determine correction dose • Correction doses are given pre-meal only • Aspart or lispro 5-15 minutes before the start of the meal • Regular 30 minutes before the start of the meal
The Goal of Insulin Therapy is Physiologic Replacement American Diabetes Association (2003). Insulin therapy in the 21st century. Alexandria, VA: ADA.
Starting Insulin in the Newly Diagnosed Patient • Calculate the total daily dose* • Determine basal insulin requirement • 40 to 50% of total daily dose • Determine the mealtime insulin requirement • 50 to 60% of total daily dose • Determine the correction dose • Based on estimate of insulin sensitivity * Total daily dose can be estimated based on iv requirements or weight
Transition From IV to SQ Insulin IV insulin covers basal insulin requirements in the NPO patient • Example: iv dose is 2 units/hour • Basal requirements: 2 u/h x 24 hrs= 48 units • 48 u x 80% = 38 units basal sq insulin dose • Food requirements equal basal requirements when eating: • 38/3 = 13 units with each meal • Correction requirements are based on the “1700 rule”* • 1700 / total daily dose or 1700/76 = ~25 (1 u lowers glucose 25 mg/dl) • Regimen: 13 u rapid acting insulin analog before meals 38 u insulin glargine at bedtime premeal correction: 1 u for every 25 mg/dl above target * The “1700 rule” is simply an observation that estimates insulin sensitivity
Subcutaneous Insulin Dose Based on Weight Example: • 70 kg man x 0.6 u/kg = 42 units total daily dose • Basal insulin = 42 x 50% = 21 units • Food insulin = 21/3 = 7 units with each meal • Correction insulin = 1700/42 =~40 • Suggested insulin regimen: • 7 units rapid acting insulin analog each meal • 21 units insulin glargine at bedtime • Premeal correction insulin 1 unit for every 40 mg/dlabove target
Remember… • Aggressive glycemic control in hospitalized patients improves clinical outcomes. • Management of diabetes in an inpatient setting requires familiarity with the use of both iv and sc insulin, both in intensive care units and on general nursing units. • The time-honored traditions of “sliding scale” insulin, and of withholding insulin for procedures and euglycemia should be buried along with fractional urine testing.
Remember… • Most hospitalized patients are discharged • Inpatient diabetes treatment should transition smoothly to outpatient management • Think ahead; plan early • ? Dietary consultation • ? Diabetes education consultation • ? Endocrinology consultation