Pharmacist consult to prevent hypoglycemia in adult inpatients with renal dysfunction.

This article evaluates the impact of a pharmacist-led consult service on reducing hypoglycemia rates in adult inpatients with renal dysfunction receiving antidiabetic medications at a large community teaching hospital. In a quasi-experimental study comparing a retrospective preimplementation cohort to a prospective postimplementation cohort, the pharmacist consult service significantly decreased hypoglycemic episodes (blood glucose <70 mg/dL) per 100 patient days (5.8 vs. 9.0; P < 0.05), though secondary outcomes such as severe hypoglycemia, hyperglycemia, length of stay, and mortality showed no significant differences. The service involved pharmacists identifying risk factors for hypoglycemia and implementing interventions under a collaborative practice agreement, primarily through ordering blood glucose monitoring and hypoglycemia treatment protocols. These findings support pharmacist involvement in proactive hypoglycemia prevention for this high-risk population and suggest further research on expanded pharmacist roles and interdisciplinary approaches to improve inpatient glycemic management.