Inpatient glycaemic management

After discharge, patients should follow up with their primary care provider within 2-3 weeks to evaluate their insulin requirements and determine whether to initiate or continue oral agents. Due to changes in nutrition and drug therapy, some patients may no longer need treatment for hyperglycaemia after hospital discharge.

Patients with known diabetes should continue routine follow-up care, including screenings for diabetic retinopathy and diabetic neuropathy. Those without a prior diabetes diagnosis also need follow-up to reassess their glycaemic status once the acute illness has resolved; for example, with a fasting blood glucose or 2-hour post-load glucose measurement after a 75 g oral glucose tolerance test. Measuring HbA1c may also be useful in distinguishing diabetes from stress-induced hyperglycaemia.