During steroid therapy, what should be monitored closely in patients with diabetes?

Monitoring blood sugar levels in patients with diabetes during steroid therapy is essential because corticosteroids can cause an increase in blood glucose levels. These medications can lead to insulin resistance, which means that the body becomes less effective in using insulin to lower blood sugar. This effect can be particularly pronounced in individuals with pre-existing diabetes, leading to potential hyperglycemia (high blood sugar).

By keeping a close eye on blood sugar levels, healthcare providers can make timely adjustments to diabetes management, such as modifying medication doses or instituting additional interventions to control blood sugar. This is crucial to prevent complications associated with elevated glucose, such as ketoacidosis or other diabetic emergencies.

While monitoring body weight, heart rate, and liver function may also be relevant in various contexts, they are not as directly impacted by steroid therapy in the context of diabetes management as blood sugar levels. Body weight may change due to fluid retention associated with steroids, but it does not provide an immediate insight into the metabolic impacts of the therapy. Heart rate and liver function are important monitoring parameters in different scenarios but are not specifically tied to the increased risk of hyperglycemia in diabetic patients undergoing steroid treatment.