FREQUENCY OF HYPOGLYCEMIA IN CRITICALLY ILL PATIENTS

Abstract

Objective:

To determine the frequency of hypoglycemia in critically ill patients admitted in intensive care unit (ICU).

Methods:

This descriptive research involved 395 critically ill patients, including both diabetic and non-diabetic individuals, who were admitted to the intensive care unit between July 2024 and January 2025. Throughout their ICU stay, all patients had their fasting blood sugar levels monitored daily to detect hypoglycemia. A diagnosis of hypoglycemia was assigned to those with fasting blood glucose measurements below 81 mg/dL.

Results:

We included a total of 395 individuals with an average age of 53.6 years (±8.7). Of these, 59.0% were male (233 individuals) and 41.0% were female (162 individuals). Regarding diabetes status, 16.7% (66 individuals) were diabetic, while 83.3% (329 individuals) were non-diabetic. Out of 395, hypoglycemia occurred in 17.2% of patients (68 individuals), while 82.8% (327 individuals) did not experience hypoglycemia.

Conclusion:

Hypoglycemia is common among critically ill patients admitted in intensive care unit (ICU).