Preoperative Continuation Versus Interruption of Oral Hypoglycemics in Type 2 Diabetic Patients Undergoing Ambulatory Surgery: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus receiving oral hypoglycemic drugs (OHDs) are usually instructed to stop them before surgery. We hypothesize that continuing OHD preoperatively should result in lower perioperative blood glucose (BG) levels. Ambulatory surgery patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus on OHDs were randomized to continue (n = 69) or withhold (n = 73) OHDs preoperatively. Log-transformed BG levels at pre-, intra-, and postoperative periods were analyzed. Perioperative BG levels were significantly lower (mean, 138 mg/dL; 95% confidence interval, 130-146 mg/dL) in the group that continued versus the group that discontinued OHDs (mean, 156 mg/dL; 95% confidence interval, 146-167 mg/dL; P < .001).