A questionnaire of diabetes treatment satisfaction in NHS hospitals shows that a significant number of patients felt their blood glucose levels were unacceptably high for most of their duration in hospital.
The questionnaire, carried out by the DIPSat group, took place across 58 UK care trusts. 74% of the patients were insulin users before admission and the average age, of those questioned, was 60 years old. The Diabetes Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire for Inpatients invited patients to rate, on a scale of 0 to 6, how often their blood glucose levels were unacceptably high during their hospital stay.
The survey showed that about 1 in 8 patients gave a 6, indicating that their levels were unacceptably high for most their time in hospital. 1 in 20 gave a rating of 5 or more and 1 in 3 gave a rating of 4 or more out of 6.
It is common for diabetic patients on insulin to experience higher blood sugar levels than normal whilst in hospital to reduce instances of hypoglycemia. The number of patients reporting being unacceptably low whilst in hospital was notably smaller. 1 in 7 patients gave a rating of 4 or more out of 6 to indicate how often their levels were unacceptably low.

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