Glucose

Abstract

Disorders of glucose metabolism are commonly seen by practicing emergency physicians. Reagent strips such as Visidex and Chemstrip are useful as a quick and accurate method of glucose estimation provided the procedure is followed correctly. These reagent strips are particularly useful for rapid screening in the unresponsive patient. The accuracy of glucose analysis obtained from the clinical laboratory is improved when methods to prevent glycolysis are used and when enzymatic methods of glucose analysis are used. The common and important indications for routine glucose analysis include evaluation of symptomatically ill patients with known diabetes or patients with altered mental status or coma of unknown etiology; patients on insulin or sulfonylureas; sick neonates; patients with a variety of drug intoxications; and patients suffering from significant systemic illness or injury likely to manifest with physiologic stress expressed as glucose intolerance.