Using a Clinical Surveillance System to Detect Drug‐Associated Hypoglycemia in Nursing Home Residents. Issue 10 (12th October 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Culley, Colleen M.; Perera, Subashan; Marcum, Zachary A.; Kane‐Gill, Sandra L.; Handler, Steven M.
• Is Part Of: Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. Volume 63:Issue 10(2015:Oct.)
• Page Start: 2125
• Page End: 2129
• Publication Date: 2015-10-12
• Subjects: Geriatrics -- Periodicals; 618.97
• DOI: 10.1111/jgs.13648
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0002-8614

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" id="jgs13648-abs-0001"> <title> <x xml:space="preserve">Abstract</x> </title> <sec id="jgs13648-sec-0001" sec-type="section"> <title>Objectives</title> <p>To determine whether a clinical surveillance system could be used to detect drug‐associated hypoglycemia events and determine their incidence in nursing home (NH) residents.</p> </sec> <sec id="jgs13648-sec-0002" sec-type="section"> <title>Design</title> <p>Retrospective cohort.</p> </sec> <sec id="jgs13648-sec-0003" sec-type="section"> <title>Setting</title> <p>Four NHs in western Pennsylvania.</p> </sec> <sec id="jgs13648-sec-0004" sec-type="section"> <title>Participants</title> <p>Any resident of the four NHs who had a computer‐generated alert detecting potential drug‐associated hypoglycemia over a 6‐month period were included.</p> </sec> <sec id="jgs13648-sec-0005" sec-type="section"> <title>Measurements</title> <p>Descriptive statistics were used to summarize all variables, including the frequency and distribution of alert type according to glucose threshold. Analyses were conducted according to numbers of alerts and residents. The medications associated with the drug‐associated hypoglycemia alerts were identified, and frequency of their inclusion in alerts was calculated. Additional calculations included time to drug‐associated hypoglycemic event alert from date of admission and frequency of events associated with postacute, short‐stay (≤35 days) admissions.</p> </sec> <sec id="jgs13648-sec-0006" sec-type="section"> <title>Results</title> <p>Seven hundred seventy‐two alerts involving 141 residents were detected. Ninety (63.8%) residents had a glucose level of 55 mg/dL or less, and 42 (29.8%) had a glucose level of 40 mg/dL or less. Insulin orders were associated with 762 (98.7%) alerts. Overall incidence of drug‐associated hypoglycemia events was 9.5 per 1, 000 resident‐days.</p> </sec> <sec id="jgs13648-sec-0007" sec-type="section"> <title>Conclusion</title> <p>Hypoglycemia can be detected using a clinical surveillance system. This evaluation found a high incidence of drug‐associated hypoglycemia in a general NH population. Future studies are needed to determine the potential benefits of use of a surveillance system in real‐time detection and management of hypoglycemia in NHs.</p> </sec> </abstract>