Beware of undetected hypoglycaemia

Beware of undetected hypoglycaemia

Hypoglycaemia leading to altered consciousness level in patients with diabetes is a commonly encountered problem in the emergency department. Prompt diagnosis and the institution of appropriate therapy usually results in a significant improvement in the patient's condition. Capillary blood gluc...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Emergency medicine journal : EMJ Vol. 27; no. 4; p. 334
Main Authors: Mittadodla, Penchala S, Ahmad, Mohammad
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: England 01-04-2010
Subjects:
Aged
Blood Gas Analysis
Blood Glucose - analysis
Capillaries
Humans
Hypoglycemia - blood
Hypoglycemia - diagnosis
Reference Values
Unconsciousness - blood
Unconsciousness - etiology
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Description
Summary:Hypoglycaemia leading to altered consciousness level in patients with diabetes is a commonly encountered problem in the emergency department. Prompt diagnosis and the institution of appropriate therapy usually results in a significant improvement in the patient's condition. Capillary blood glucose evaluation is routinely used on patients presenting to the emergency department. However, the limitations of this test are not widely known. This case report draws attention to spuriously normal glucose readings with a capillary blood glucose evaluation device in certain patients who have significant hypoglycaemia confirmed on arterial blood gas analysis and laboratory venous blood analysis.
ISSN:1472-0213
DOI:10.1136/emj.2009.078220