Glucose Control After Vascular Surgery Recommended To Reduce Adverse Events

Inadequate glucose control after carotid artery surgery puts patients at risk for adverse events such as strokes, according to an AHRQ-funded study published in the journal Vascular. Researchers assessed about 4,300 patients admitted for an elective carotid procedure and found that 13 percent had high glucose levels after surgery. On average, these patients experienced higher stroke rates, more cardiac complications, longer hospital stays and higher rates of post-procedure infection than patients with optimal glucose control. Since carotid procedures are meant to prevent stroke, the authors suggest that health practitioners incorporate postoperative glucose control into treatment of carotid disease as a standard practice. Access the abstract.