Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 28, 2026

Monitoring Lung Function with Electrical Impedance Tomography in the Intensive Care Unit
Published on: September 6, 2024
Hemoglobin A1c and Permissive Hyperglycemia in Patients in the Intensive Care Unit with Diabetes
Anca Balintescu1, Johan Mårtensson2
1Department of Clinical Science and Education Södersjukhuset, Section of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, Karolinska Institutet, Södersjukhuset, Sjukhusbacken 10, Stockholm 118 83, Sweden.
Glycated hemoglobin A1c can be used to assess intensive care unit patients' level of chronic glycemic control. Compared with patients with normal glycated hemoglobin A1c, patients with elevated glycated hemoglobin A1c seem to better tolerate hyperglycemia and large glucose fluctuations during critical illness. The risks associated with hypoglycemia are markedly greater among patients with elevated glycated hemoglobin A1c. Observational studies suggest that more liberal targets further decrease the occurrence of hypoglycemia in patients with diabetes with elevated glycated hemoglobin A1c. Whether glycated hemoglobin A1c should be used to individualize glucose control during critical illness should be assessed in randomized trials.
Glycated hemoglobin A1c can be used to assess intensive care unit patients' level of chronic glycemic control. Compared with patients with normal glycated hemoglobin A1c, patients with elevated glycated hemoglobin A1c seem to better tolerate hyperglycemia and large glucose fluctuations during critical illness. The risks associated with hypoglycemia are markedly greater among patients with elevated glycated hemoglobin A1c. Observational studies suggest that more liberal targets further decrease the occurrence of hypoglycemia in patients with diabetes with elevated glycated hemoglobin A1c. Whether glycated hemoglobin A1c should be used to individualize glucose control during critical illness should be assessed in randomized trials.
More Related Videos
09:57A Protocol to Set Up Needle-Free Connector with Positive Displacement on Central Venous Catheter in Intensive Care Unit
Published on: July 13, 2019
08:22The Application of Point-of-Care Ultrasonography (POCUS) in the Management of Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) in the Intensive Care Unit
Published on: December 12, 2025
Related Concept Videos
Patient-centered Care
Hemoglobin
When all four heme groups are bound to oxygen, the resulting molecule is called oxyhemoglobin. As a result, arterial blood...
Measurement: Derived Units
Measurement: Standard Units
Pathophysiology of Diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is characterized by autoimmune-mediated destruction of pancreatic β cells, with environmental factors potentially triggering this process in genetically susceptible individuals. Despite many not having a family history, certain genes increase susceptibility,...
Sound Intensity