Treatment of diabetic coma with low-dose hourly intramuscular insulin.
Ten diabetics with severe hyperglycaemia were treated with hourly low-dose intramuscular insulin injections. Five patients were keto-acidotic with a mean initial plasma glucose of 842 mg/100 ml and 5 were non-ketotic with a mean initial plasma glucose of 1 223 mg/100 ml. In every case there was an approximately linear and predictable lowering of plasma glucose, the average rate being 79 mg/100 ml/h in the ketotic group and 132 mg/100 ml/h in the non-ketotic group. Results closely paralleled those reported with continuous low-dose infusion techniques and this study supports the view of Alberti et al. that hourly intramuscular insulin therapy is a simple and reliable alternative to infusion therapy where necessary equipment is unavailable.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001639:Bicarbonates / Q000009:adverse effects; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D003926:Diabetic Coma / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D016883:Diabetic Ketoacidosis / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007038:Hypotonic Solutions; D007263:Infusions, Parenteral; D007273:Injections, Intramuscular; D007328:Insulin / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D007659:Ketones / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011188:Potassium / Q000097:blood; D012965:Sodium Chloride / Q000008:administration & dosage
D001639:Bicarbonates; D001786:Blood Glucose; D007038:Hypotonic Solutions; D007328:Insulin; D007659:Ketones; D012965:Sodium Chloride; D011188:Potassium