sábado, 4 de mayo de 2013

New Study: Improvement in Diabetes Care and Management

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) sent this bulletin at 05/03/2013 02:14 PM EDT

Having Trouble Viewing The Images? View Online

May 3, 2013

New Publication from New England Journal of Medicine on Diabetes Care

A new diabetes study recounts how the United States is managing diabetes in adults, based on data to 2010. While there has been improvement, there are still large gaps in terms of the control of two important risk factors, smoking and hypertension.

The researchers looked at both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes in adult Americans in their article in the April 25 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine. The Achievement of Goals in U.S. Diabetes Care, 1999-2010 is an updated national report on U.S. diabetes care.

Main Findings from this Study

From 1999 to 2010, a high percentage of Americans with diabetes were meeting the American Diabetes Association’s recommended levels for blood sugar, blood pressure, and cholesterol.
However, one out of every five Americans with diabetes smokes and this has not changed over 12 years.
Physicians now customize blood sugar targets for Americans with diabetes from different age groups and with different disease profiles (heart disease, diabetic eye disease, or kidney disease). Using these customized targets, we found that two-thirds of all diabetic adults had adequate blood sugar control.
Also, Americans with diabetes are better at getting regular checks for diabetic complications and flu vaccinations. Almost 90% get annual cholesterol checks and 70% regularly monitor their sugar levels, but up to 40% still don’t go for yearly eye, dental, or foot checks.
While U.S. diabetes care has improved over the first decade of this century, aspects like tobacco, blood pressure control, and preventive checks can still be improved. These improvements will likely lead to reductions in eye, heart, brain, kidney, and foot diseases related to diabetes, and also reduce long-term health care costs.

What This Means for You

If you have diabetes and smoke, talk to your health care provider about smoking cessation support.
Check for local diabetes management programs that may be offered at your local hospital, community or faith-based organizations.
Make an appointment for your yearly eye, dental and foot checks if you have diabetes.
Talk with your HCP about your risk of heart disease.
Follow your health care provider’s guidance for daily goals in nutrition and physical activity.

For More Information: CDC's Divsion of Diabetes Translation

Article Citation: New Engl J Med. 2013;368:1613-1624, 1650-1851