Insulin injection guidelines for peri-operative and critically ill patients

• Main Authors: Sukhminder Jit Singh Bajwa, Sanjay Kalra, Manash Baruah, Sukhwinder Kaur Bajwa
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2013-01-01
• Series: Journal of the Scientific Society
• Subjects: Critically ill; diabetes; injection sites; insulin; insulin analogues; needle length; peri-operative; skin folds
• Online Access: http://www.jscisociety.com/article.asp?issn=0974-5009;year=2013;volume=40;issue=2;spage=68;epage=75;aulast=Bajwa

Anesthesiologists and intensivists are encountering increasing number of diabetic patients in daily clinical practice. Majority of such patients may require insulin injections for control of hyperglycemia. Advancements in diabetes management have led to usage of newer insulin injections ranging from human insulin and insulin analogs to glucagon-like peptides-1 analogs. The adequacy of glycemic control and successful outcome with such therapeutic interventions depends upon the adoption of correct injection techniques and procedures. Peri-operative and critically ill diabetic patients are highly prone to develop acute complications of diabetes if appropriate therapeutic strategies are not formulated and implemented. As such, the in-depth knowledge and awareness about various injection technique guidelines is essential from the patient care and healthcare provider′s perspective in the operative and critical care settings. This description is an abridged version of the Forum for Injection Techniques, India: The first Indian recommendations for best practice in insulin injection technique and their significance in peri-operative period and critically ill patients in intensive care units (ICU). These insulin injection techniques are based on evidence-based recommendations and are meant to improve the management of diabetes by the attending staff and physicians in operative and critical care arenas.