Acute Hyperglycemia Associated with Psychotic Symptoms in a Patient with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus: A Case Report

Conclusion Clinicians should consider inadequate glycemic control as a potential cause of acute-onset psychotic episodes in patients with diabetes. Our case highlights the importance of first stabilizing these patients’ glycemic levels before prescribing antipsychotics, especially atypical antipsychotics, which may exacerbate hyperglycemia and thus potentially worsen the psychosis. If other pathologies are ruled out and an association between hyperglycemia and psychotic symptoms is established, these patients may benefit from benzodiazepines, as these drugs will not exacerbate hyperglycemia and may help calm the patients until glycemic levels are normalized. Accordingly, prospective research that examines the temporal and causal relationship between psychosis and diabetes mellitus is warranted. References 1. World Health Organization. Definition and diagnosis of diabetes mellitus and intermediate hyperglycaemia. WHO2006. http://www.who.int/diabetes/publications/diagnosis_diabetes2006/en/. Accessed February 2016. 2. Sommerfield AJ, Deary IJ, Frier BM. Acute hyperglycemia alters mood state and impairs cognitive performance in people with type 2 diabetes. Diabetes Care. 2004;27(10):2335–2340. 3. Cox DJ, Kovatchev BP, Gonder-Frederick LA, et al. Relationships between hyperglycemia and cognitive performance among adults with type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Diabetes Care. 2005;28(1):71–77. 4. Cebeci AN, Güven A. Delirium in diabetic ketoacidosis: a case report. J Clin Res Pediat...
Source: Innovations in Clinical Neuroscience - Category: Neuroscience Authors: Tags: Case Report Current Issue Medical Issues Primary Care Psychiatry Schizophrenia Acute psychosis diabetes mellitus hyperglycemia organic psychosis Source Type: research