How high have you seen??

BlueDevil,DNP, DNP, RN · Jul 1, 2012

You win. I think the highest I have seen is 25 in an outpatient setting. I did once see a DKA pt with a glucose over 1000 in the MICU though.

BluegrassRN · Jul 2, 2012

I can't remember what the a1c was, but I had a pt that came in for chest pain, and routine lab work showed a glucose of 1700. This guy knew he had diabetes, but wouldn't take insulin because if you start in insulin you can't have a cdl license. Oral agents just weren't cutting it. What doc keeps supplying oral meds to a guy whose blood sugar consistently runs above 1000?

Double-Helix, BSN, RN · Jul 2, 2012

The highest I've ever seen was a 4 year old in DKA with a blood glucose of 1,500. She survived, but with some permanent neurological deficits. This was new onset Type 1, though, and not known but uncontrolled Type 2.

Madds06 · Nov 14, 2012

Just had a pt last night who came in with DKA.. Blood glucose was 1900!!

medic9872 · Feb 14, 2013

Brought a girl in by ambulance the other night. She was unresponsive, snoring respirations, had near sine waves on her EKG. No IV access to be had. She had a port but we had no huber needles. She coded about two minutes after we moved her to the ER stretcher. They accessed the port, gave calcium chloride and worked it. About an hour later we came by on the way out with another pt. They were still working her. Had gotten her back a few times. Labs had come back - her blood glucose was 2400.

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ashleyisawesome, BSN, RN · Feb 15, 2013

in nursing school during my ER rotation, a 20 something woman came in unconscious. the glucometer reading just said "HIGH". took a venous sample and it was 1200!! new onset type 1... she turned out okay thankfully!

hopefulwhoop · Feb 15, 2013

Brought a girl in by ambulance the other night. She was unresponsive, snoring respirations, had near sine waves on her EKG. No IV access to be had. She had a port but we had no huber needles. She coded about two minutes after we moved her to the ER stretcher. They accessed the port, gave calcium chloride and worked it. About an hour later we came by on the way out with another pt. They were still working her. Had gotten her back a few times. Labs had come back - her blood glucose was 2400.
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WHOA!

KBICU · Feb 15, 2013

1208.

SionainnRN · Feb 15, 2013

Holy moly! I've only seen in 700-800 range, didn't even realize you could have 4 digit BS and still be alive!! Yikes!!

stablesystole · Feb 15, 2013

Is there a point at which a BS becomes incompatible with life?

HyperSaurus, RN, BSN · Feb 15, 2013

I had a DKA transferred to my floor from ICU. Initial blood glucose 1100.