Dilkhush D, Lannigan J, Pedroff T, Riddle A, Tittle M. Insulin infusion protocol for critical care units.
Am J Health Syst Pharm 2005;
62:2260-4. [PMID:
16239416 DOI:
10.2146/ajhp040590]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE
An insulin infusion protocol for critical care units is described.
SUMMARY
Evidence that aggressive glycemic control improves outcomes led physicians, nurses, dietitians, and pharmacists at a trauma center to develop an insulin infusion protocol. Before the protocol, elevated blood glucose concentrations were often not treated until they reached 200 mg/dL or higher. Insulin infusions were underutilized and were often not started until capillary blood glucose concentrations were greater than 350 mg/dL for 12 or more hours. When orders for an insulin infusion were written, they did not include directions for dosage adjustment, and the goal blood glucose range varied. A preliminary protocol was drafted allowing adjustments in insulin administration to be based on changes in capillary blood glucose values since the previous blood glucose measurement. The protocol was presented to a multidisciplinary team and further refined. The targeted blood glucose concentration range was 80-130 mg/dL. After the targeted range was achieved for a patient, if the blood glucose level continued to decrease over three consecutive measurements, the infusion rate was decreased by 0.5 or 1 unit/hr, depending on the capillary blood glucose level. Data for the first 30 patients were collected from September 2003 to August 2004. It took 2-36 hours (mean, 12.6 hours) to bring the capillary blood glucose concentration to less than 130 mg/dL. Among 2,845 capillary blood glucose measurements, there were 15 cases of hypoglycemia (0.4%) requiring treatment with 50% dextrose injection.
CONCLUSION
A multidisciplinary effort resulted in the development of an insulin infusion protocol for use in critical care units.
Collapse