Hyperglycemia Management in Hospitalized Patients: A Narrative Review

Introduction According to retrospective studies on hospitalized patients, there is a clear association between hyperglycemia (with or without a known history of diabetes) and hypoglycemia with increased mortality and health consequences. These studies also showed that appropriate control of blood sugar and preventing hyper/hypoglycemia is not only associated with reduced mortality rate but also can prevent consequences of the disease. However, there is no unique evidence-based guideline, based on common practices in hospitals, to manage such conditions. Hence, currently, providers mostly use their knowledge or different guidelines without any support for potential problems such as general use of insulin tables with no planned prescription. The present study aimed to firstly review the prevalence of hyperglycemia in hospitalized patients with both critical and non-critical conditions, and secondly to provide practical measures for treating such conditions in order to prevent negative consequences.