Heart attack patients are routinely given infusions of glucose, insulin and potassium – but they could be fatal, researchers have suddenly discovered.
The infusions – which are usually given immediately on admission and continue for 24 hours afterwards - double the risk of death and a further heart attack in the first three days.
Extra fluid is probably to blame, say the researchers, who looked at the progress of 23,000 heart attack victims after they were admitted to hospital.
Although the infusions are supposed to manipulate glucose metabolism, the researchers couldn’t find any benefit to them.
(Source: Journal of the American Medical Association, 2007; 298: 2399-405).
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