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Updated: Nov 17, 2025

Improving IV Insulin Administration in a Community Hospital
Published on: June 11, 2012
Glucagon use by U.S. adults with type 1 and type 2 diabetes
Peter A Kahn1, Shuling Liu2, Rozalina McCoy3
1Department of Internal Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States of America.
Abstract:
The American Diabetes Association recommends that all patients at risk for hypoglycemia be prescribed glucagon. Despite this recommendation, there is evidence that prescription rates are lower than expected for patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes. This study investigated prescription patterns for glucagon among de-identified administrative claims from OptumLabs® Data Warehouse for prescriptions between January 1, 2014 and December 31, 2014 among pharmacologically treated type 1 and 2 diabetes patients. We find that glucagon was rarely filled by patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes, including fewer than 5% of patients with prior hypoglycemia requiring emergency healthcare utilization. Among patients with type 1 diabetes, glucagon fills were unpredictable and not targeted to highest risk patients.
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