Page 351 - Critical Care Nursing Demystified

336 CRITICAL CARE NURSING DeMYSTIFIED

Postprandial blood sugar (PPBS) – Two hours post meal. A blood sample is
drawn after the patient eats a conventional meal or is given a meal containing
carbohydrates. Its purpose is to determine the body’s response to increases
in carbohydrate intake after a meal and how quickly blood sugar levels re-
turn to normal. Levels that remain higher than 200 mg/dL after 2 hours
suggest diabetes mellitus.

NURSING ALERT
Two-hour postprandial results increase in value by 5 mg/dL for each decade of life.
Results of a PPBS for a 60-year-old person will be 15 times higher than that of a
30-year-old person.

Oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) – Not routinely used but is the gold
standard for making the diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes mellitus.

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Tolerance Test (OGTT)
Tolerance Test (O
1. C on v entional meals ar e eat en f or sev er al
1. Conventional meals are eaten for several days prior to this test. Fasting the night
before is recommended. Water intake is allowed.
before is recommended. Water intake is a
2. At the beginning of the test an FBS blood sample is obtained and a urine sam-
2. At the beginning of the test an FBS blood
ple collected and tested for glycosuria.
ple c ollec t ed and t est ed f or gly c osuria.
3. The patient is then given 75 to 100 g of flavored glucose dissolved in water.
Blood samples are drawn at 1-, 2-, and 3-hour intervals to evaluate the length of
time it takes for blood sugars to return to normal levels. Individuals with diabe-
tes mellitus may take longer to return to baseline readings or never return to
fasting levels.

Disorders of the Pancreas
Disorders of the Pancreas are characterized by major changes in blood glucose
levels as well as in fluid and electrolyte disturbances. Without the necessary
insulin, glucose remains in the bloodstream and cells are deprived of energy.