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Having Heart Surgery? Watch Blood Sugar

Posted on: Monday, 9 June 2008, 18:00 CDT

Nearly half of all heart surgery patients may experience blood sugar levels high enough to require temporary insulin treatment, U.S. researcher said.

Researchers at the University of Michigan Health System said a significant minority of these patients might need to take medicines for days or even weeks after they leave the hospital, to help their blood sugar levels reach normal again -- even though they've never had diabetes.

The findings, presented at the American Diabetes Association's Scientific Sessions in San Francisco, included data from 1,362 patients who had certain heart and vascular operations at University of Michigan Health System in 2006 and 2007. Of them, 662 developed stress induced hyperglycemia, or high blood sugar after surgery, and 87 needed blood sugar medicines when they left the hospital.

Led by endocrinologist Dr. Roma Gianchandani, a team of physicians, physician assistants and nurse practitioners look for and treat elevated blood sugar in all heart and vascular surgery patients.

Stress-induced hyperglycemia occurs when the body reacts to the double insults of having an operation on the heart or major blood vessels, and of being cooled down by the heart-bypass machine, the researchers explained.

Source: United Press International

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