Management of diabetes during the last days of life: attitudes of consultant diabetologists and consultant palliative care physicians in the UK

Abstract

Diabetes is an increasingly common condition and hence, managing dying patients with diabetes as a co-morbidity will become a frequent challenge. It is uncertain whether there is net beneficence in preventing hyperglycaemia in diabetic patients during the terminal phase or whether the distress involved in administering therapy and blood glucose monitoring may outweigh this ordeal. Since there is no available evidence upon which to base clinical decisions, a semi-structured questionnaire based around three clinical vignettes was sent to consultants in diabetes and palliative care in the UK. There was consensus of opinion from both groups of consultants that treatment and monitoring should be stopped in patients with type 2 diabetes, once in the terminal phase. There was less consensus regarding management of type 1 diabetes. Practical issues were raised by both groups of consultants and clinical guidelines are suggested.