Inpatient glycaemic management

Patients with newly discovered hyperglycaemia have been shown to have a significantly higher in-hospital mortality (16%) than patients who have a history of diabetes (3%) or people with normoglycaemia (1.7%).[8]Fonseca V. Newly diagnosed diabetes/hyperglycemia in hospitals: what should we do? Endocr Pract. 2006 Jul-Aug;12 Suppl 3:108-11. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16905526?tool=bestpractice.com Follow-up after discharge from hospital is extremely important in this population, as many of the factors encountered during the hospital stay may not be evident after hospital discharge. Patients with pre-existing diabetes mellitus should follow up with their physician for titration of insulin or adjustment/initiation of oral therapy.

A wide range of therapy is available for long-term diabetes management (see Overview of diabetes). Some patients may need to continue taking insulin at home until complete recovery allows a transition to other therapies.