Implementing tight glucose control after coronary artery bypass surgery.

Background: The clinical benefit of tight glucose control has been demonstrated in diabetic patients. In adopting an approach of tight glucose control for all cardiac surgery patients at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, we encountered several challenges, including defining good glucose control, meaningfully measuring control, and assessing the impact of variables that may affect control.

Methods: An interdisciplinary team used an insulin protocol to achieve tight glucose control of cardiac surgery patients in the operating room and intensive care unit as part of an effort to reduce sternal wound infections.