Glucose-Insulin-Potassium infusion for ischemic stroke: a placebo controlled randomized clinical trial

Hyperglycemia after acute stroke is a common finding that has been associated with an increased risk of death. For the last several years, it was believed that post-stroke hyperglycemia may worsen brain infarction in animal models. According to previous studies, the anti-inflammatory effect of insulin has a protective role on ischemic tissues. Glucose-insulin-potassium (GIK) infusions can be safely administered to acute stroke patients with mild to moderate hyperglycemia producing a physiological but attenuated glucose response to acute stroke, the effectiveness of which remains to be elucidated. In this study, we compared the effects of GIK infusion vs. placebo in ischemic stroke patients.