Inpatient glycemic management

Patients with newly discovered hyperglycemia have been shown to have a significantly higher in-hospital mortality (16%) than patients who have a history of diabetes (3%) or people with normoglycemia (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 the 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 preexisting 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.