Diabetes

The primary care doctor's involvement in a patient's weight-loss program can significantly improve patient outcomes, a study published in Patient Education & Counseling has found.

The study of Inuit adults found a correlation between cannabis use and lower BMI. The findings are consistent with other results reported this year.

The top stories in managed care include results for patients with type 2 diabetes who were treated with high-dose liraglutide, challenges facing Medicaid managed care, and the rising popularity of doula services.

In a study that will surely set off alarms, Kansas researcher Kyle Chapman found that those with a college degree gain more benefits from good diets and exercise than those without the same education.

Patients with diabetes whose traditions and culture includes celebrations with food should not take a negative approach to lifestyle management and dietary restrictions, according to Andrew Pumerantz, DO, FACP, of the Western Diabetes Institute.

Patients with diabetes are entering a new era in which they can take charge of their own health and medical needs and come ready with questions and ideas to manage their disease, said Kerri Sparling, writer/editor of patient diabetes blog Six Until Me.

Governor Robert Bentley is calling out fellow Republicans in Alabama's legislature and asking what they would cut if they fail to pass his $300 million tax proposal. His state has some of the nation's highest rates of diabetes and obesity.

Results for the cardiovascular outcomes trial on the SGLT2 inhibitor mark the first time one of the newer diabetes drugs has produced benefits since the FDA began looking closely at these effects. Full data will be presented next month at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes.

The ITCA 650 device, which delivers tiny doses of exenatide, could be a game changer in solving the problem of medication adherence. An application for FDA approval is expected in the first half of 2016.

Compared with traditional Medicare, relative resource use for those with diabetes or cardiovascular disease is lower in Medicare Advantage, while quality of care is higher.

Assessment of prevalence and specific costs associated with discrete multimorbid mental health disease clusters in adults with diabetes.

The study may lead to more widespread use of the therapy, the lead author said. Coverage has been a challenge despite a declaration of obesity as a disease 2 years ago.

Diabetes is not just an epidemic in the United States; the nonprofit Diabetes UK warned that the disease is swamping the National Health Service with rising costs because not enough emphasis is placed on prevention.

Semaglutide is currently available as an injectible only, but the company is working on a once-daily pill form.

Neighborhoods with more resources that support physical activity and healthy diets were associated with a lower incidence of type 2 diabetes mellitus, according to findings published in JAMA Internal Medicine.

The study published in Diabetes Care showed that a relatively simple intervention reduced gestational diabetes 39% for women at risk.

Much of care coordination efforts for diabetes entail having the extra personnel to more closely manage patients and their behaviors, which in turn can improve medication adherence, said Paul Ciechanowski, MD, MPH, associate professor at the University of Washington.

The move comes after Sanofi and Regeneron spent $67.5 million to move ahead of the main competitor in the FDA approval process.

Critics of Coke's financial support said its was not transparent until scholars forced its revelation, and that it's a gambit to steer attention away from the role of soda in the nation's epidemic of diabetes and obesity.

Patients in practices where certified diabetes educators were embedded in practices were more likely to have medication adjusted quickly, with better health outcomes.

Natasha Greene, PhD, FNP, BC, found that educating a family member alongside the person with type 2 diabetes mellitus produced better health outcomes than traditional education.

The study presented at the ADA Scientific Sessions found that raising out-of-pocket costs for diabetics with Medicare could reduce adherence and ultimately raise healthcare spending.

Younger patients and those who have been diagnosed less than 5 years are less likely to follow guidelines for regular eye exams, despite the risk of blindness.

The shift in care for those with diabetes is about new payment models and a change in mindset, said the speakers, including Robert A. Gabbay, MD, PhD, of Joslin Diabetes Center.

A matchstick-like device provides continuous delivery of exenatide, producing dramatic reductions in A1C levels.