Question

what is the nursing intervention of sublingual glucose and oral glucose?

Answer 1

A spoonful of moistened sugar deposited under the tongue of a young child in the early hours of severe malaria can correct hypoglycaemia in record time – at home or in transit to a health centre. This is a first-aid measure while waiting for emergency treatment to arrive (an infusion of glucose or a stomach tube still being required if the blood glucose level is not corrected by the sublingual sugar)

THE METHOD

Add a few drops of water to a teaspoonful of ordinary sugar

For patients who are in a coma or lying down, open the mouth by gently squeezing with the thumb and forefinger.

Place the sugar under the tongue. Place the patient on his/her side (in the lateral decubitus position) to prevent choking (inhalation hazard).

Retry after 10 minutes if the patient has not regained consciousness. Then maintain a steady supply of sublingual sugar (every 10 to 15 minutes) and supervise until stabilisation

We recommend the use of oral glucose (swallowed) for individuals with suspected hypoglycemia who are conscious and able to swallow (strong recommendation, very low certainty of evidence).

We suggest against buccal glucose administration compared with oral glucose administration for individuals with suspected hypoglycemia who are conscious and able to swallow (weak recommendation, very low certainty of evidence).

If oral glucose (e.g. tablet) is not immediately available, we suggest a combined oral + buccal glucose (e.g. glucose gel) administration for individuals with suspected hypoglycemia who are conscious and able to swallow (weak recommendation, very low certainty of evidence).

We suggest the use of sublingual glucose administration for suspected hypoglycaemia for children who may be uncooperative with the oral (swallowed) glucose administration route (weak recommendation, very low certainty of evidence