What Is Glucose Intolerance?

Internal medicine physician Dr. Rex Mahnensmith has specialized in primary care for more than three decades. Since 2015, Dr. Rex Mahnensmith has been providing full-time primary care at StayWell Health Center in Waterbury, Connecticut.

Glucose intolerance is a condition where the level of glucose in a person’s bloodstream rises above 140 mg or remains above 100 mg more than two hours after the ingestion of glucose. Normally, after eating, the blood glucose concentration rises from below 100 mg to about 110 or 120 mg. The glucose is then transferred into cells and tissues by insulin in approximately 60 to 90 minutes. It is then utilized by our organs as energy or stored as glycogen. 

In a case of glucose intolerance, however, the body does not handle the glucose intake in the normal time frame. Thus, the ingested glucose is not fully used up by the cells and tissues for energy. This condition occurs as a result of insufficient secretion of insulin or resistance to its action. While not diabetes mellitus, glucose intolerance can be regarded as a prediabetic condition and requires swift action and remedy.

Maintaining Hemostability during Renal Therapy

Yale-educated internal physician Dr. Rex Mahnensmith is an award-winning doctor at the StayWell Health Center in Waterbury, Connecticut. Dr. Rex Mahnensmith earned an ABIM Subspeciality Certification in Nephrology and has written several peer-reviewed papers on renal diseases and treatments. 

When determining the best course of treatment for kidney failure, nephrologists must balance between the duration of treatment and the level of hemostability maintained during treatment. To reduce hospitalization time for patients with chronic kidney disease, faster versions of intermittent rental therapy may be preferred. 

However, acute kidney injuries in critically ill patients often are treated with continuous renal replacement therapies (CRRT). CRRT filters blood at a slower rate than other rental therapies, making it ideal for patients who are more sensitive to large fluctuations in fluids. 

This type of hemodialysis is considered safer for patients with high risks of hypotension. CRRT was first pioneered in the 1990s and uses a series of tubes and membranes to pass blood through a hemofilter, removing excess water and waste. To meet the needs of hospitals and dialysis patients, smaller and more economical versions of CRRT are currently in development.