Glucose levels
Target glucose levels in hospital are 5 – 10 mmol/L
- Glucose levels lower than 4 mmol/L are associated with:
- Cardiac arrhythmias
- Delirium, aggression
- Falls
- Myocardial infarction, pulmonary oedema
- Stroke-like syndrome
- Post-event hyperglycaemia & erratic glucose levels
- Fatigue and depression
- Delayed hospital discharge
- Glucose levels persistently above 11 mmol/L are associated with:
- Gastroparesis, nausea & vomiting
- Polyuria and dehydration
- Poor wound healing
- Delayed recovery from sepsis
- Delayed recovery from medical illness eg. stroke, myocardial infarction, pneumonia
- Fatigue and depression
- Delayed hospital discharge
- Higher rates of hospital readmission
When to check glucose levels
In most patients with diabetes, glucose levels should be monitored four times a day:
- before breakfast, lunch and dinner
- at bedtime
For patients who are on insulin and who have an acute medical or surgical condition, they should have their glucose levels monitored at 2am as well.
Interpreting glucose levels
Look for patterns in the glucose levels, recognising what the pre- and post-meal glucose levels mean:
- Pre-meal and fasting glucose levels reflect the basal insulin – either endogenous or insulin dose
- Post-meal (within 3 hours of the meal) glucose levels reflect the bolus insulin dose
