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The Journal of General Internal Medicine recently surveyed nearly 300 physicians, and the findings were alarming.
Their research suggests approximately 25% of all physicians misdiagnose people who have diabetes with prediabetes instead.
Additionally, the average provider didn’t know 33% of the risk factors for prediabetes, were unfamiliar with prevention or management of the condition, and generally under-screened for it.
Only 42% of the physicians knew the correct fasting A1c to diagnose prediabetes.
Researchers from John Hopkins University recommend providing physicians with better knowledge on diabetes prevention and for insurance to cover plans that help better diagnose and treat prediabetes.
The hope is these two strategies will help with more accurate screening and earlier intervention to avoid development and progression of type 2 which can lead to kidney failure, heart disease, or stroke. Read the full study and statistics here.
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Our October Newsletter is brimming with medication updates! From Oral GLP-1 to Semaglutide and pre-filled Glucagon, we’re keeping you up to date AND updating our PocketCards. Did you know you can hire Coach Beverly to come speak in your hometown? Read this month’s Newsletter to find out how to request her time.
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A new study published in Nature Medicine shows just an extra kilogram of visceral fat can raise a woman’s risk of type 2 diabetes by more than seven times, compared to men, whose risk goes up by two times. This visceral fat also associated with more heart attacks, high blood pressure, and hyperlipidemia.
Research on 325,000 people in the UK Biobank cohort revealed more than 200 distinct genes influencing visceral fat, many of which are tied to how much or little a person eats or exercises.
Findings in this study were based on a simple method of estimating an individual’s amount of deep belly fat, which can be replicated in most clinics, rather than relying on the more advanced and costly diagnostic imaging techniques.
Although the gender implications of the study are interesting, a great accomplishment of the study is simplifying measurements of visceral fat to make it easier to identify people at higher risk of developing diabetes or cardiovascular disease. Read fully study results here.
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Happy Pharmacist Appreciation Day! Today is extra special since Coach Beverly fell in love with and married a Pharmacist, Kristapor Thomassian, PharmD, BCPS, over 20 years ago. He works as a critical care specialist in a local hospital and is also on the Board of Directors at Diabetes Education Services.
In celebration of Pharmacists Day, please enjoy our FREE medication summary sheets co-developed by Dr. Thomassian; Statin, Hypertension and Neuropathy Medication Summary Sheets
We want to take today as a chance to highlight some fantastic findings from a study published in the Diabetes Spectrum on what happens when pharmacists are involved in the diabetes care and education process:
“Pharmacists are well positioned to provide comprehensive diabetes services, including basic education and counseling.”
Lisa T Meade, Rebecca C. Tart, and Hillary L. Buzby; Diabetes Spectrum 2018, Feb. 31 (1): 90-95.
With general practitioners’ limited appointment time, pharmacists are uniquely positioned to help improve diabetes education. Pharmacists’ combination of medication expertise and ability to monitor and evaluate lab results, allows them to make informed recommendations for therapies to treat hypertension, dyslipidemia, cardiovascular disease, and microvascular complications – all often seen in advanced diabetes.
In a study reviewing rural clinics in Northern California, pharmacist intervention with diabetes education resulted in an A1c reduction of 1% or greater!
Pharmacists play a vital role in the inter-professional health care team, particularly with the increasing number and complexity of medications for diabetes. Read the full study published in Diabetes Spectrum here and thank the pharmacists on your team today!
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As lifestyle coaches and diabetes specialists, we all know how important regular activity is to improve well-being, glucose levels, and overall health. Yet, keeping engaged in an ongoing activity is one of the biggest challenges most people face.
Soul line dancing might just offer an unexpected solution.
Soul line dancing – like country line dancing – is really just choreographed dance moves that you do in a group, without a partner. “It’s a sneaky way to get exercise in”
Andrea powell – soul dancing devotee
This activity offers the benefit of connecting with friends, learning a sequence of moves (that is great for brain function) and having fun. It’s an efficient way to improve cardiovascular health and keep fit.
Soul line dancing is held in local churches, gyms, community recreation and senior centers. “There is such enjoyment and that is part of music and part of rhythm, and is almost innate in humans,” say Terri Lipman, a professor in the School of Nursing at the University of Pennsylvania. Lipman is collecting data on the impact of soul dancing programs and says that the data shows that soul line dancing counts as moderate exercise.
Since soul line dancing is an exercise that is both fun and social, it creates a habit that is more likely to last for the long run!
Read more here from NPR Story: Soul Line Dancing: Come For The Fitness. Stay For The Friendships
And, if you want to learn the World Diabetes Day Flash Mob, here are the steps and a video. Just in time for National Diabetes Month in November.
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November is Diabetes Awareness Month. As part of your Diabetes Awareness activities, consider including our FREE Bingo game as a fun addition!
This educational tool is designed to increase participant’s knowledge of diabetes self-management terms and goals of care. It’s an invaluable resource for kinesthetic learners and makes learning upbeat and easy.
Players learn about diabetes management while having fun! DiaBingo is a must-have for support groups and in the classroom setting.
The questions are designed by our experts to help players become informed about diabetes and self-care in an upbeat and entertaining way. You are welcome to customize these questions as needed to make it relevant to your group.
Up to 30 Can play! Answers sheets and questions are available in English and Spanish.
This free download includes:
Simply print out the player cards and choose items to use as markers to get started.
This FREE DiaBingo has been reviewed for accuracy by Coach Beverly and is up to date for 2019! Please let us know if any corrections are needed!
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There are approximately 15 million people enrolled in Medicare who have diabetes or chronic kidney disease which is eligible for the benefit of personal nutritional counseling.
Medicare pays for the first three hours of dietary counseling during the first year the benefit is used, and two hours in subsequent years.
Only 5% of Medicare beneficiaries receive Medical NutritionTherapy Counseling. Yet, participants who receive counsel from Registered Dietitians have A1c drops of 1-2%.
Kaiser Health News gathered testimonials from people who took advantage of the nutritional counseling referral and people found it help to bring down their blood glucose readings and realize what and what not to eat and portion sizes. One man, Louis Rocco, didn’t realize until seeing a dietitian that eating a lot of bread could be dangerous for him. He said “I’m Italian, and I always eat a lot of bread,” but he could see the difference in his readings after two, hour-long consultations with a dietitian.
The problem may be that not enough physicians know about the Medicare benefit. Doctors have to refer patients to a dietitian. See Kaiser Health News for the full article.
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A post-analysis of the SAVOR-TIMI 53 trial and a review of 17 different observational studies showed metformin use is associated with decreased all-cause mortality in people with type 2 diabetes and a high risk of cardiovascular events.
In a previous systematic review of 17 observational studies published in the Annals of Internal Medicine in 2017, researchers concluded that metformin use is associated with decreased all-cause mortality in patients with CKD, congestive heart failure, or chronic liver disease with hepatic impairment.
Find out more details about the Harvard Medical School study here.
Want more great medication information? Download our Medication PocketCard for free! We also have this great 8-cards-in-1, laminated, accordion fold PocketCards available with bulk discounts.
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