BEYOND BLOOD SUGAR.
JEMS : a Journal of Emergency Medical Services
|August 11, 2016
Summary
Point-of-care (POC) testing significantly impacts prehospital care, informing critical clinical decisions for EMS providers. Implementing POC testing systems can optimize patient treatment and enhance EMS delivery models.
Area of Science:
- Emergency Medicine
- Clinical Diagnostics
Background:
- Point-of-care (POC) testing has demonstrated a substantial impact on prehospital care.
- Existing prehospital systems can benefit from integrating POC testing capabilities.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the logical implementation of POC testing systems in prehospital settings.
- To highlight the clinical decision-making support provided by POC testing data.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of data from POC testing devices (e.g., i-STAT).
- Assessment of how POC data influences treatment adjustments and feedback mechanisms.
Main Results:
- POC testing alters prehospital care in up to 30% of its applications.
- Data from POC testing aids in managing electrolyte imbalances, medication and ventilator adjustments, and IV fluid use.
- POC data facilitates feedback from Mobile Integrated Healthcare (MIH) providers to physicians.
Conclusions:
- Implementing POC testing systems is logical for prehospital care.
- POC testing supports critical clinical decision-making for EMS providers.
- POC testing can enhance the value proposition of EMS delivery models.
Related Concept Videos
Hormones Regulating Blood Glucose
8.1K
Insulin is released by beta cells of the pancreas when blood glucose levels are high. It facilitates glucose absorption and utilization in insulin-dependent cells with insulin receptors on their plasma membranes. Insulin promotes glucose uptake by increasing the number of glucose transport proteins in the cell membrane, allowing glucose to enter the cell. As a result, glucose utilization and ATP production are enhanced.
In addition to accelerating glucose uptake and utilization, insulin has...
In addition to accelerating glucose uptake and utilization, insulin has...
8.1K
Glucose Homeostasis: Regulation of Blood Glucose
5.0K
Carbohydrates consumed through foods are converted into glucose, a crucial energy source for the body. In the prandial state, high blood glucose levels stimulate the secretion of insulin from the pancreas. Insulin inhibits hepatic glucose production and stimulates glucose uptake and metabolism by muscle and adipose tissue. The excess glucose is converted into glycogen and stored in the liver and muscles.
During fasting, when blood glucose levels are low, the pancreas secretes glucagon. it...
During fasting, when blood glucose levels are low, the pancreas secretes glucagon. it...
5.0K
Hypoglycemia and Glucagon
1.2K
Without prolonged fasting, healthy individuals maintain blood glucose levels above 3.5 mM due to a well-adapted neuroendocrine counterregulatory system that effectively prevents acute hypoglycemia, a potentially life-threatening condition. The primary clinical scenarios for hypoglycemia encompass diabetes treatment, inappropriate production of endogenous insulin or insulin-like substances by tumors, and the use of glucose-lowering agents in non-diabetic individuals. Notably, hypoglycemia in the...
1.2K
Diabetes: Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Complications
2.7K
For most patients, experiencing several weeks of polyuria, polydipsia, fatigue, and significant weight loss may indicate the presence of diabetes. Furthermore, adults displaying the phenotypic appearance of type 2 diabetes (particularly those who are obese and not initially insulin-requiring), may have islet cell autoantibodies, suggesting autoimmune-mediated β cell destruction and a diagnosis of latent autoimmune diabetes of adults (LADA). The categorization of glucose homeostasis is...
2.7K
Diabetes Mellitus: Type 2 and Gestational
5.3K
Type 2 diabetes, characterized by insulin resistance, arises when the insulin receptors on cells lose responsiveness to insulin, diminishing the cell's capacity to take up glucose, resulting in elevated blood glucose levels. To receive a diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes, a series of blood glucose tests are necessary to assess whether the blood glucose falls within normal parameters. If the result is out of the normal range, a patient may be diagnosed as prediabetic or diabetic, depending on the...
5.3K
Glucose Homeostasis: Pancreatic Islets and Insulin Secretion
3.0K
The pancreatic islets comprising only 1%-2% of the volume are highly vascularized and innervated mini-organs. They contain five endocrine cell types, including β cells that secrete insulin, which is synthesized as a single polypeptide chain, preproinsulin, processed to proinsulin, and finally to insulin and C-peptide. This process is complex and regulated, involving the Golgi complex, the endoplasmic reticulum, and the secretory granules of the β cell.
Insulin and C-peptide are...
Insulin and C-peptide are...
3.0K


