Low-Dosage Continuous Insulin Infusion for Diabetic Coma
Authors: G. D. MOLNAR
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (1974)

Editorial Notes1 December 1974Low-Dosage Continuous Insulin Infusion for Diabetic ComaG. D. MOLNAR, M.D., PH.D., F.A.C.P., F. J. SERVICE, M.D., PH.D., F.A.C.P.G. D. MOLNAR, M.D., PH.D., F.A.C.P.Search for more papers by this author, F. J. SERVICE, M.D., PH.D., F.A.C.P.Search for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-81-6-853 SectionsAboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail ExcerptThree recent papers in theBritish Medical Journal(1-3) report that continuous infusion of insulin at low dosage is an effective, safe, and simple treatment of severe hyperglycemia. Most of the 62 patients (in the three series) were ketoacidotic and comatose. These patients were continuously infused with unmodified (regular) insulin in saline at average rates of 4 to 8 units per hour. The therapy was impressively effective: in one of the studies (3), a mean (± SE) total of 39.2 ± 6.6 units satisfactorily regulated the diabetes in 6.4 ± 0.9 hours. In another study (1), the ratio of β...References1. PAGEALBERTIGREENWOOD MKR: Treatment of diabetic coma with continuous low-dose infusion of insulin. Br Med J 2:687-690, 1974 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar2. KIDSONCASEYKRAEGEN WJE: Treatment of severe diabetes mellitus by insulin infusion. Br Med J 2:691-694, 1974 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar3. SEMPLEWHITEMANDERSON PCW: Continuous intravenous infusion of small doses of insulin in treatment of diabetic ketoacidosis. Br Med J 2:694-698, 1974 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar4. SÖNKSENSRIVASTAVATOMPKINS PMC: Growth-hormone and cortisol responses to insulin infusion in patients with diabetes mellitus. Lancet 2:155-160, 1972 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar5. GENUTH S: Constant intravenous insulin infusion in diabetic ketoacidosis. JAMA 223:1348-1351, 1973 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar6. PALUMBOTAYLORMOLNAR PWG: Disappearance of bovine insulin from plasma in diabetic and normal subjects. Metabolism 21:787-798, 1972 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar7. BRADLEY R: Diabetes ketoacidosis and coma, in Joslin's Diabetes Mellitus, 11th ed., edited by MARBLE A. Philadelphia, Lea & Febiger, 1971, pp. 361-416 Google Scholar This content is PDF only. To continue reading please click on the PDF icon. Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAffiliations: Endocrinology and Internal Medicine Mayo Clinic Rochester, Minnesota PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Metrics Cited BySimilar Responsiveness of Diabetic Ketoacidosis to Low-Dose Insulin by Intramuscular Injection and Albumin-Free InfusionHAROLD S. SACKS, M.B., Ch.B., MOSTAFA SHAHSHAHANI, M.D., ABBAS E. KITABCHI, Ph.D., M.D., JOSEPH N. FISHER, M.D., RUTH T. YOUNG, M.D.Behandlung der diabetischen Ketoazidose mit der angepaßten InsulininfusionDiabetes MellitusComa diabeticumROUTE AND RATE OF INSULIN ADMINISTRATION IN DIABETIC KETOACIDOSISINSULIN THERAPY: RECENT ADVANCES IN KETOACIDOSIS, HYPEROSMOLAR COMA AND INSULIN TO TESTTreatment of Diabetic KetoacidosisThe Efficacy of Low-Dose Versus Conventional Therapy of Insulin for Treatment of Diabetic KetoacidosisABBAS E. KITABCHI, Ph.D., M.D., VENTACHALAM AYYAGARI, M.D., SONIA M. O. GUERRA, M.D., MEDICAL HOUSE STAFFLow-Dose Insulin: A Plea for CautionBehandlung des Coma diabeticum mit kleinen Insulinmengen"Concepts" in Diabetes MellitusROBERT MATZ, M.D., F.A.C.P. 1 December 1974Volume 81, Issue 6Page: 853-854KeywordsComaHyperglycemiaInsulin Issue Published: 1 December 1974 PDF DownloadLoading ...