Strict Blood Glucose Control after Heart Surgery May Not Be Necessary

A recent study found survival after heart bypass surgery was not affected by the level of blood glucose control during hospitalized recovery, as long as the level was maintained at <180 mg/dL. Also, health-related quality of life improved in all patients from baseline to 6 months, whether or not they had strict blood glucose control. For the Annals of Thoracic Surgery study, 189 patients were randomized to strict (90–120 mg/dL) or liberal (121–180 mg/dL) glucose control protocols and were followed for an average of 3.3 years. Considering less strict blood glucose control after surgery may help reduce the risk of hypoglycemia.