The Effects of Intravenous Insulin in Sakel'S Hypoglycaemic Treatment

Abstract

The use of intravenous insulin in Sakel's shock treatment as an alternative to intramuscular insulin was first reported by Ventriglia (1939), whose findings may be summarized as follows:(1) Hypoglycaemic symptoms appear more quickly than with intramuscular insulin, so that the pre-shock period is shortened.(2) The coma dose of insulin is reduced by 50 per cent. on an average, but may be reduced by considerably more.(3) In some cases the hypoglycaemic symptoms are more abrupt and violent.(4) There is a greater tendency to tonic-clonic spasms and convulsions generally.