High Glucose,Colon Polyps,Gastric Ulcer

Answer by Dr. Albana Greca, MD, MMedSc

Hello Mary,

I am sorry that you are dealing with several health problems at the same time. It is good that you are already in the hospital, where your doctors can review the complete picture.

Is a Blood Sugar of 293 mg/dL a Reason to Stay?

Readings repeatedly in the 200s are not normal. A level of 293 mg/dL is about 16.3 mmol/L and may occur because of previously unrecognized diabetes, illness, pain, dehydration, infection, physical stress from procedures, or medicines such as corticosteroids.

However, there is no single glucose number that decides whether a patient can leave the hospital. Your doctors must determine whether the glucose is improving, why it is high, and whether it can be managed safely outside the hospital. Our guide to blood sugar between 250 and 400 mg/dL explains why symptoms, ketones and persistence matter as much as the number.

What Should Be Checked Before Discharge?

Before you go home, ask the hospital team whether the following have been reviewed:

• The cause of the high glucose and whether you have diabetes or temporary stress hyperglycemia


• HbA1c, which helps show whether glucose was elevated before this illness


• Ketones, electrolytes, kidney function and hydration


• Blood-pressure stability and your medication plan


• Your ability to eat, drink and take medicine without vomiting


• Any bleeding, pain or complications after the colonoscopy and endoscopies


• A home glucose meter, testing schedule and clear instructions for high readings


• A prompt appointment with your primary doctor or diabetes clinician

A fasting glucose, HbA1c or other laboratory test may be needed to clarify the diagnosis. You can review the different blood tests used to diagnose diabetes and discuss which results were obtained during your admission.

Questions to Ask Your Hospital Doctor

• Why is my glucose high, and has diabetes been diagnosed?


• What was my HbA1c result?


• What glucose range do you want me to maintain at home?


• Do I need insulin or another diabetes medicine after discharge?


• How often should I check my glucose?


• At what reading or symptom should I call you or return to the emergency department?


• When should I follow up for the ulcer, gallstones and colon-polyp pathology?

Do not leave without written medication and follow-up instructions. Also, do not change insulin, diabetes medicine or blood-pressure medicine on your own. When recording glucose at home, note whether it was fasting, before eating or after eating. The meaning of the result changes with timing, as explained in our blood sugar levels by time of day guide.

Do the Ulcer and Polyps Still Need Follow-Up?

Yes. Removing colon polyps does not end the evaluation. The pathology result helps determine the type of polyp and when another colonoscopy is needed. A stomach ulcer may require acid-reducing medicine, testing or treatment for H. pylori, and review of medicines such as aspirin or anti-inflammatory painkillers. Gallstones may also need further management if they are causing pain, inflammation or blockage.

High blood pressure should also be controlled because diabetes and hypertension together increase heart, brain and kidney risk. Our overview of diabetes care and its complications explains why glucose, blood pressure, cholesterol and kidney health should be managed together.

Mary, it may be safe for some patients to go home before every glucose reading is within target, provided the acute problems are stable and a safe treatment and follow-up plan is in place. In your case, please make that decision only with the doctors caring for you in the hospital.

Related Questions

• What complications can very high blood sugar cause?


• How are high blood sugar and high blood pressure managed together?

Related Resources

• Dangerous blood sugar levels and warning signs


• HbA1c to average glucose calculator

This educational answer does not replace the assessment or discharge decision of the hospital team caring for you.