Diabetes victim died at Walsall Manor after insulin treatment

[Northerner]

Retired carpenter Dennis Heath, aged 87, had health complications and died on June 14 after falling into a coma from which he did not recover.

Staff had given him treatment that was more suited for type 1 diabetes, a different form of the condition.

He had been taken to the hospital twice in May in a confused state from his home, in Old Vicarage Close, Pelsall, after concerns that he may have suffered a stroke.

The hearing was told while he was in the hospital his blood sugar fell to a score of four and he was given an insulin drip overnight on June 13.

http://www.expressandstar.com/news/...diabetes-victim-died-after-insulin-treatment/

 

[KookyCat]

I hope I don't find myself in their hospital, how on earth did that happen? Surely someone would have known he was type two?

 

[ypauly]

The type is irrelevant isn't it? as you wouldn't treat a low on either with insulin.

 

[Redkite]

It just terrifies me how incompetent some hospital staff are

When my Grandad was in his 90's he occasionally suffered from UTIs which led to BG levels in the 2's (and dizziness and confusion). He was NOT diabetic (apparently low BGs in elderly folk with UTIs is not uncommon). However, when my Mum visited him in hospital she found "diabetic" on the door of his room! Scary what might have happened if she hadn't put them right

 

[KookyCat]

The type is irrelevant isn't it? as you wouldn't treat a low on either with insulin.

I thought that too, but thought I'd misread it maybe. i sort of thought that maybe they'd assumed type 1 so he'd need the sliding scale regardless of his BGs because we don't make any insulin, and they'd reduce it when he hit four, but effectively because people with type 2 generally still produce enough basal insulin they'd overdosed him overnight. Then my brain exploded.

 

[KookyCat]

It just terrifies me how incompetent some hospital staff are

When my Grandad was in his 90's he occasionally suffered from UTIs which led to BG levels in the 2's (and dizziness and confusion). He was NOT diabetic (apparently low BGs in elderly folk with UTIs is not uncommon). However, when my Mum visited him in hospital she found "diabetic" on the door of his room! Scary what might have happened if she hadn't put them right

It is terrifying isn't it, doesn't inspire confidence at all