Controlling blood glucose in the hospital Because not much is
known about the use of diabetes drugs other than insulin in
hospitalized patients, insulin is usually the drug of choice in
the hospital, and other diabetes drugs are discontinued. (See
“Diabetes Drugs in the Hospital” for more on this topic.) The
two methods of insulin delivery used in hospitals are continuous
IV (intravenous) infusion, using a clear, short-acting insulin,
and subcutaneous insulin — insulin given by injection under the
skin or with an insulin pump — using a combination of long-
acting and short-acting insulins or, in a pump, just short-
acting insulin. Intravenous insulin delivery is sometimes
referred to as an “insulin drip.” An insulin drip is almost
always used in the following situations: - You are admitted to
the hospital to have surgery (particularly heart surgery). - You
are having an organ transplant. - You have high blood glucose
because you are taking a drug or drugs that cause high blood
glucose, such as high-dose glucoco