Each year, I excitedly scan through the new ADA Standards of Care (SOC) to learn and incorporate best practices into my clinical practice and course content. Based on my initial review, here are some of the highlights I want to share with you right away, but there is a lot more info to come.

Clinical Practice Updates

Screen for hyperglycemia starting at age 35

This year, I am happy to see that the screening age for prediabetes and diabetes has dropped by a decade, from 45 years of age to 35 years of age. This new guideline provides diabetes specialists with the opportunity to reach out to our colleagues and communities to spread the word that ALL people, regardless of weight, ethnicity and other risk factors, need to be tested for glucose dysregulation starting at age 35.

New Kidney Protection Guidelines
Since diabetes is the leading cause of kidney failure, I appreciate that the ADA has created a new standard dedicated to renal protection, called Chronic Kidney Disease and Risk Management (Standard 11).

Highlights of this standard include:

• The recommendation to start SLT2 Inhibitors if the GFR is 25 or greater and the urinary albumin is 300 or greater. An abundance of data has demonstrated that SGLT2’s protect renal function, delay progression of chronic kidney disease and decrease cardiovascular events. If clinically indicated, this class of medication can be used as a first line treatment for people with type 2 diabetes.
• In addition, this standard recommends including the nonsteroidal mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist (finerenone) for treatment of diabetes kidney disease (see our Cheat Sheets for more info).

New Vaccination Information and Fatty Liver Treatment Recommendations

Standard 4 includes updated information on vaccinations.
In our clinic, we are encouraging all people to get the influenza vaccine in addition to the COVID vaccine series. Experts predict that severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARSCoV-2) and influenza viruses will both be active in the U.S. during the 2021–2022 season.

Most people don’t know that getting the Influenza vaccine decreases risk of death.

New data is revealing that the influenza vaccine doesn’t just lower the risk of getting the flu, it also lowers risk of all cause mortality and cardiovascular events and death. This simple annual intervention is recommended for all individuals with diabetes 6 months and older.

Fatty Liver Disease – Under detected and under treated

Over 50% of people with diabetes have non-alcoholic fatty liver liver disease (NAFLD) and the percentage is even higher for those with diabetes and a BMI of 30 or greater. Yet, there is no standardized diagnostic or treatment strategy. Experts in the field are trying to raise awareness while developing a consensus statement.

Diabetes specialist can take an active discovering fatty liver disease by looking for elevated liver enzymes, especially in those with elevated BMI and other risk factors. Even without an official diagnosis, if NAFLD is suspected, we can encourage healthy eating, weight and glycemic management plus interventions for hypertension and dyslipidemia.
In addition, some studies indicate that pioglitazone, vitamin E treatment, liraglutide, and semaglutide treatment of biopsy-proven non alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) improves liver histology, but effects on longer-term clinical outcomes are not known. Treatment with GLP-1s and SGLT-2s has also shown promise in preliminary studies. But more research is needed!

There is so much more to explore, please join Coach Beverly on February 3rd for our Annual Standards of Care Webinar and a comprehensive review!

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Start reviewing the Standards Today with our CDCES Coach App!

Click below to download our CDCES Coach App to read the Standards today.

• CDCES Coach App for iOS devices

• CDCES Coach App – Google

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You are invited to join Coach Bev on February 3rd at 11:30 for an intensive 2-hour live webinar reviewing what Diabetes Specialists need to know about the updated standards.

Enroll in our Level 2 | ADA Standards of Care | 2.0 CEs

This course, updated annually, is an essential review for anyone in the field of diabetes. Join Coach Beverly as she summarizes the 2022 updates to the American Diabetes Association’s Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes and provides critical teaching points and content for health care professionals involved in diabetes care and education.

Objectives:

1. A review of changes and updates to the 2022 ADA Standards of Medical Care
2. Identification of key elements of the position statement
3. Discussion of how diabetes educators can apply this information in their clinical setting

Intended Audience:  This course is a knowledge-based activity designed for individuals or groups of diabetes educators, including RNs, RDs, Pharmacists, Nurse Practitioners, Clinical Nurse Specialists, Physician Assistants, and other health care providers interested in staying up to date on current practices of care for their patients with diabetes and other related conditions.

Instructor: Beverly Thomassian RN, MPH, CDCES, BC-ADM is a working educator and a nationally recognized diabetes expert.

Enroll in our entire Level 2 – Standards of Care to join us for the below 2022 Live Webinar Updates. All courses air at 11:30 a.m. (PST)

• Recorded on December 15, 2021 – Hyperglycemic Crises, DKA & HHS Standards | 1.0 CE
• Recorded on December 21, 2021 – Assessing and Promoting Well-Being: From Population Health to a Person-Centered Approach Standards | 1.5 CEs
• February 3, 2022 – ADA Standards of Care | 2.0 CEs
• March 24, 2022 – Meds Management for Type 2 – 1.5 CEs
• March 29, 2022 – Lower Extremity Assessment 1.5 CEs
• April 26, 2022 – Microvascular Complications, Eye, Kidney Nerve Disease 1.5 CEs
• April 28, 2022 – Critical Assessment of Diabetes Patient 2.0 CEs
• May 10, 2022 – Cardiovascular Disease and Diabetes Standards 1.5 CEs
• May 12, 2022 – Older Adults and DIabetes 1.5 CEs
• May 17, 2022 – Tots to Teens – Diabetes Standards 1.5 CEs
• May 19, 2022 – Pregnancy and Diabetes 1.5 CEs
• May 26, 2022 – Hospital and Hyperglycemia 1.5 CEs
• July 21, 2022 – Setting up a Successful Diabetes Program 1.5 CEs

All hours earned count toward your CDCES Accreditation Information

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The use of DES products does not guarantee the successful passage of the CDCES exam. CBDCE does not endorse any preparatory or review materials for the CDCES exam, except for those published by CBDCE.