Week 5: Diabetes (3) (Virtual learning) Flashcards
normal BM parameters
Between 4.4 and 7.2 mmol/L before meals.
Less than 180 mg/dL (10 mmol/L) two hours after meals.
DKS
Mainly T1Dm
- Significant ketonuria (≥ 2+) or blood ketone > 3mmol/L
- Blood glucose > 11mmol/L or known diabetes mellitus
- Bicarbonate < 15mmol/L or venous pH < 7.3
Treatment
- Insulin- fixed rate intravenous insulin infusion (FRIII) as soon as DKA confirmed
- Fluids- replace fluid deficit (beware of fluid overload)
- Potassium- monitor hourly and replace loss
- Avoid hypoglycaemia – CPG hourly (when <14mmol/l start dextrose
HHS
HSS
Mortality is high- requiring senior review
- Hypovolaemia
- Marked hyperglycaemia (≥30 mmol/L) without significantly elevated blood ketone levels (<3 mmol/L) or acidosis (pH>7.3, bicarbonate >15 mmol/L)
- Osmolality ≥320 mosmol/kg (2Na + Gluc + Ur)
Treatment
- Insulin- FRIII
- Fluid- follow protocol
- Potassium- monitor and replace
- Low molecular weight heparin- prophylactic
Hypoglycaemia in a diabetic
- Many pts will not require admission
- Usually T1DM, elderly if t2Dm
- Should considered in any person with diabetes who is unwell, drowsy, unconscious or unable to co-operate
For elderly admitted with hypo consider medication review
- Beware: elderly pts with diabtes who have an HbA1c of less than 7% who are treated with insulin or sulphonylureas
- Risk of hypo
establishing a diagnosisw of hypoglycemia
- <4mmol/l
- Signs and symptoms
- Pallor, sweating, tremor (autonomic)
- Loss of concentration, behavioural changes, fits, LOC (Neuroglycopenic symptoms)
- Symptoms harder to recognise in elderly
Causes of inpatient hypoglycaemia
- Inappropriately times diabetes medication
- Insulin error
- Use of IV insulin infusion without glucose infusion
- Acute illness
- Change in activity e.g. mobilisation after illness
- Missed or delayed meals
- Prolonged starvation e.g. vomiting, reduced appetite
Management of inpatient hypoglycaemia
- Prompt treatment
- Reduce insulin doses
- Give carbohydrate/ glucose
- Ensure snacks at bedtime
what to do after treating hypoglycaemia
- Document
- Maybe refer to specialist team if recurrent
Who needs insulin therapy
- T1DM- complete lack of endogenous insulin- insulin mainstay of treatment
- T2DM
- High BM can be controlled with non-insulin therapies e.g. diet, oral and injectable treatments)
- 50% will require insulin within 6 years due to progressive decline of B cell function
- Started when glycaemic targets are not met using these therapies or if the pt is symptomatic e.g. rapid weight loss, polyuria, nocturia, gestational diabetes, steroid induce diabetes e.g. dexamethasone
Insulin prescribing
All the trainees should comply with insulin prescribing standards to minimise error.
Standards for Insulin prescribing:
- Correct Brand name – beware of sound alike insulins (NB Humalog v Humalog mix25)
- Correct device
- Correct dose (check with pt, GP, etc.)
- NEVER abbreviate “units” to “u” or “iu” due to risk of 10x overdose
- Correct time
- Correctly write on both charts (drug/EPMA and green chart)
- Correct strength (U100, U200, U300, U500) eg, “(strength 200units/ml)”
example of safe insulin prescription
Insulin preparation and admin
- If you need to draw insulin up from a vial or administer insulin using a syringe and needle then this can only ever be done using a standard insulin syringe
- 1ml syringes – for standard strength insulin (U100) 0.01ml = 1 unit insulin and 1ml = 100 units insulin
- Otherwise risk of overdose
- NEVER use a syringe to withdraw insulin from a pen cartridge
- Insulin is a time critical drug
Indications for Various Rate Intravenous Insulin Infusion (VRIII) (sliding scale)
For patients with diabetes who are hyperglycaemic or with hospital related hyperglycaemia who are unable to take oral fluid/food, who are acutely unwell and/or for whom adjustment of their own insulin regimen is not possible. Particularly the following groups of patients:
- Patients with type 1 diabetes who are unable to eat and drink
- Patients with type 1 diabetes with recurrent vomiting (exclude DKA)
- Patients with type 1 or 2 diabetes and severe illness with need to achieve good glycaemic control e.g. sepsis
Monitoring CBGs while on VRIII
- Hourly
- Aim 6-10mmol/l
- If above tagrte may need to adjust insulin infusion rate
- Review need for VRIII on a daily basis
When to switch to subcut insulin from VRIII
- Ensure pt can eat and drink
- CBG within ranges of 6-10 mmol/l
- Discontinuous at a meal-time (when usual medication given)