Preoperative Glycemic Control for Adult Diabetic Patients Undergoing Elective Surgery

As the prevalence of diabetes continues to increase in the United States, a higher proportion of elective surgical candidates will require specific preoperative education and guidelines to maximize patient outcomes and reduce the costs of care. The purpose of this article is to review the current literature to determine how preoperative glycemic control affects the lengths of hospital stays, postoperative complications, and mortality in people living with type 1 and 2 diabetes. Additional recommendations are provided for preoperative hypo- and hyperglycemia, the use of insulin pumps or continuous glucose monitors, and day-of-surgery management of insulin and oral hypoglycemic agents. Gaps in medical evidence are acknowledged and future directions in research are proposed to provide high-quality guidelines for the preoperative care of adult patients with diabetes.