Diabetes

Amid progress in diabetes treatments and technology, the rate of amputations rose 50% between 2009 and 2015. African American patients lose limbs at triple the rate of other groups. The mission of the Affordable Care Act—spend more to prevent disease and complications, and save money later—has bypassed many of these patients for one reason: they lack access to care.

This article addresses what employers need to know about food as medicine and offers practical steps to reduce barriers for their employee populations.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic will hopefully be a wakeup call to take diabetes more seriously and to work to prevent diabetes and its complications, said Robert Gabbay, MD, PhD, chief medical and scientific officer of the American Diabetes Association.

Metformin-based therapy may be an optimal first-line treatment for patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and low cardiovascular risk, according to a systematic review and network meta-analysis published in Annals of Internal Medicine.

Peer support is a huge advantage of technological health interventions for teens with type 1 diabetes (T1D), while integrating technology with physical activities is important when promoting healthy lifestyles, said Tara Kaushal, MD, physician and clinical researcher at Joslin Diabetes Center.

Among Medicare enrollees, there was substantial between-practice variation in the use of second-generation diabetes drugs between 2007 and 2015, according to a study published in JAMA Network Open. Data also revealed a concentration of use among a few prescribers and practices, who were responsible for widespread early diffusion.

Every week, The American Journal of Managed Care® recaps the top managed care news of the week, and you can now listen to it on our podcast, Managed Care Cast.

A look at the Diabetes Prevention Program at the 10-year mark showed the program brought lasting results.

Coverage of our peer-reviewed research and news reporting in the healthcare and mainstream press.

This week, the top managed care news included more details about the COVID-19 vaccine process; attempts to reinforce social distancing amid reopening; a recap of the American Diabetes Association 2020 Virtual Scientific Sessions.

Jennifer N. Clements, PharmD, is a clinical pharmacist in diabetes transition with Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System in Spartanburg, South Carolina. Clements is a board-certified pharmacotherapy specialist, board-certified ambulatory care pharmacist, and certified diabetes care and education specialist. She is currently developing a pharmacy service focused on the inpatient management of diabetes. An editor from The American Journal of Managed Care® recently conducted an interview with Clements to discuss strategies for improving transitions of care for patients with diabetes.

New results from the Diabetes Prevention Program Outcomes Study (DPPOS), presented at the American Diabetes Association’s 80th Scientific Sessions, showed persistent reductions in type 2 diabetes (T2D) development over an average 22-year follow-up period.

A finding that ertugliflozin produced a 30% drop in heart failure hospitalization risk fell outside the study’s primary and secondary end points; here, the drug performed within range of its class, the sodium glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors.

Research presented at the American Diabetes Association's 80th Scientific Sessions offers new insights into the future of glycemic control, diabetes self-management, and remote care.

In this episode of Managed Care Cast, we speak with the lead author of a study in the June issue of The American Journal of Managed Care® about the nationwide dearth of suppliers of the Medicare Diabetes Prevention Program, which aims to reach older adults with prediabetes.

Selected abstracts from the American Diabetes Association's 80th Scientific Sessions discuss when to add injectable therapy, how patients who switched to semaglutide lost more weight and gained glycemic control, and offered results from an early-phase study on a monoclonal antibody that may preserve B-cell function.

During a joint symposium on Saturday, held as part of the 80th American Diabetes Association Scientific Sessions and hosted by JDRF President and CEO Aaron Kowalski, PhD, experts debated the merits and pitfalls of how to measure glycemic control and overall health among persons with diabetes. Which is better, they asked: the traditional measure of glycated hemoglobin or the newer measure, time-in-range?

The announcement of a $35 per month out-of-pocket cap for insulin for some individuals with Medicare is a real victory for the American Diabetes Association and for people with diabetes, said Robert Gabbay, MD, PhD, chief medical and scientific officer of the American Diabetes Association.

Every week, The American Journal of Managed Care® recaps the top managed care news of the week, and you can now listen to it on our podcast, Managed Care Cast.

American women die in childbirth at a higher rate than in any other developed country, while non-Hispanic Black women are more than 3 times more likely to have a maternal death than white women in the United States, according to a review presented at the American Diabetes Association’s 80th Scientific Sessions.

Obesity contributes to development of youth-onset type 2 diabetes (T2D) and can lead to detrimental health outcomes in adulthood. Researchers explored this relationship and offered insights on addressing the problem during a session at the American Diabetes Association’s (ADA) 80th Scientific sessions, held virtually due to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

The aim of this feasibility study was to determine whether digital health use via smartphones, a platform that adolescents are more engaged with than other age groups, could aid in teaching youth more about cardiovascular risks, and promote uptake of this knowledge so individuals increase heart healthy behaviors, said Tara Kaushal, MD, physician and clinical researcher at Joslin Diabetes Center.

When it comes to diabetes, lead study author Deepak L. Bhatt, MD, MPH, said clinicians and payers should weigh the considerable costs of what happens when a patient suffers a heart attack or stroke when deciding on a treatment regimen.

This week, the top managed care news included HHS distributing COVID-19 funds to Medicaid and CHIP providers; the National Kidney Foundation issues a statement on health disparities and racial violence; a preview of our coverage of the American Diabetes Association 2020 Virtual Scientific Sessions.

Despite the Medicare Diabetes Prevention Program now being a covered benefit, there is inadequate availability of suppliers to reach Medicare beneficiaries with prediabetes.