Basal Bolus vs. Sliding Scale for Treatment of Diabetic Patients in Medical Wards

A comparison of two treatment approaches for hyperglycemia in diabetic patients hospitalized in the medical department. The first approach is called basal-bolus in which 4 insulin shots are given daily ( 3 short acting before meals and one long acting before bed time). The second approach is called sliding scale in which short acting insulin alone is given before meals and before bed time according to the patient's glucose values. The aim is to keep fasting glucose between 140-180 mg/dl.