Blood sugar is high but patient has no insulin

[Alnitak7]

Why would the doctor arrange for a patient to take their blood glucose every day and watch their diet but never prescribe any insulin even though the readings are usually above 100?

Why would a patient like this not be considered diabetic anymore even when their sugar is always high?

[JustBeachyNurse, LPN]

Is the sugar over 100 fasting or post prandial? Is this a new finding? Did the physician run labs and an A1C? For sugars around 100 usually monitoring & diet is first line not insulin.

This is not necessarily diabetes but impaired glucose tolerance with risk for diabetes.

[JustBeachyNurse, LPN]

Here is a sample nurse treatment protocol

http://health.state.ga.us/pdfs/nursing/Protocol%20Manual/07.0%20Diabetes.pdf

And another. (Fasting sugar >126)

http://medicalcenter.osu.edu/patientcare/healthcare_services/diabetes_endocrine/about_diabetes/diabetes_diagnosis_protocol/Pages/index.aspx

[eatmysoxRN, ASN, RN]

I know that sometimes we monitor blood sugars in patients receiving high doses of solumedrol. If it's too high they sometimes have sliding scale coverage.

[mammac5]

Depends on how high the numbers are, as well as the A1c. The ADA guidelines for a diagnosis of diabetes is fasting glucose over 125 on more than one reading OR random glucose greater than 200 with symptoms OR A1c greater than 6.5 OR a BG > 200 on a 2-hr glucose tolerance test. You can see all the guidelines at http://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/36/Supplement_1/S4.full.pdf

A person with per-diabetes may be advised to check home blood sugars, modify diet, exercise, lose weight, etc., prior to starting oral meds.