Strict Glycemic Control by Insulin Infusion:Observations on Emergency Department Initiation

Strict Glycemic Control by Insulin Infusion:Observations on Emergency Department Initiation

Glycemic control can be safely achieved in surgical and medical intensive care unit settings and has been shown to improve short and long-term clinical outcomes. As such, insulin infusion protocols are routinely used in the ICU setting. The investigators plan to establish the use of strict glycemic control in a heterogenous group of acutely ill patients in the ED setting. The investigators propose to study the aspects of implementing a strict glycemic control protocol in the ED.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Patients with blood glucose ≥130 mg% considered to be critically ill as defined by:

APACHE II score ≥9 (See Appendix 1) OR >2 SIRS criteria with lactate ≥ 4 or BP < 90mmHg despite one liter of fluid OR Evidence of Organ Dysfunction (see Appendix 1)

Exclusion Criteria:

• Patients requiring urgent interventional procedure (e.g. cardiac catheterization, dialysis) or surgery performed outside of the ED.