Administering a 5% sugar solution peri- and postoperatively usually achieves a good balance between starvation reactions and hyperglycemia caused by sympathetic activation. A 10% solution may be more appropriate when the stress response from the reaction has decreased, after approximately one day after surgery. After more than approximately two days, a more complete regimen of total parenteral nutrition is indicated.
In patients with hypernatremia and euvolemia, free water can be replaced using either 5% D/W or 0.45% saline.
In patients with fatty-acid metabolism disorder (FOD), 10% solution may be appropriate upon arrival to the emergency room.
Side effects
Intravenous glucose is used in some Asian countries as a pick-me-up, for "energy", but is not part of routine medical care in the United States where glucose solution is a prescription drug. Asian immigrants to the United States are at risk of infection if they seek intravenous glucose treatment. It may be had at storefront clinics catering to Asian immigrants, despite having no more effect than drinking sugared water. The procedure is commonly called "ringer".[9]
Concentrated dextrose solutions should not be administered subcutaneously or intramuscularly, as they can cause cell death via dehydration and subsequent necrosis.
Types
Types of glucose/dextrose include:
D5W (5% dextrose in water), which consists of 278 mmol/L dextrose
D5NS (5% dextrose in normal saline), which, in addition, contains normal saline (0.9% w/v of NaCl).
D5 1/2NS 5% dextrose in half amount of normal saline (0.45% w/v of NaCl).[10]
Glucose provides energy 4 kcal/gram, so a 5% glucose solution provides 0.2 kcal/ml. If prepared from dextrose monohydrate, which provides 3.4 kcal/gram, a 5% solution provides 0.17 kcal/ml.[11]
References
^"Dextrose". The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists. Archived from the original on 18 January 2017. Retrieved 8 January 2017.
^ abcdefgBritish national formulary : BNF 69 (69 ed.). British Medical Association. 2015. pp. 683–684. ISBN9780857111562.
^World Health Organization (2019). World Health Organization model list of essential medicines: 21st list 2019. Geneva: World Health Organization. hdl:10665/325771. WHO/MVP/EMP/IAU/2019.06. License: CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO.
^Jiha Ham (20 March 2015). "A Life Upended After an IV Glucose Treatment Popular Among Asian Immigrants". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 22 March 2015. Retrieved 21 March 2015. Although many doctors warn Asian immigrants in New York that the effects of injecting glucose differ little from drinking sugary water, many Asians, especially of older generations, still use the intravenous solution. In their homelands, it is commonly prescribed by doctors as a method to cure colds, fevers and sometimes an upset stomach.