ADA: American Diabetes Association

Studies presented at the American Diabetes Association's meeting in San Francisco took a deeper look at what the presence of fat does to overweight children. Researchers found that signs of trouble emerge early, with implications for the treatment of youths with type 1 diabetes, and those at risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

A symposium on the new drug class, SGLT2 inhibitors, drew plenty of interest from attendees at the American Diabetes Association meeting in San Francisco. SGLT2 inhibitors have gained notice, both for their ability to reduce A1C levels and for their potential to help patients lose weight.

A symposium that focused on the relationship between behavioral health and diabetes examined how the challenges of living with the disease wear on patients over time, ahead of results presented Sunday showing that much of what is diagnosed as "depression" in diabetes may not be. Presenters offered 3 models for better coordination of care.

A diabetes patient navigator program in Birmingham, Alabama, a joint project of the American Academy of Family Physicians Foundation and Sanofi US, resulted in lower A1C levels for its participants. Patients also reported higher levels of satisfaction in managing their disease.

For years, the standard for treating type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) has been step therapy. Patients are told to make changes in their diets and to exercise more. Then, most start metformin; if T2DM progresses, doctors add drugs from among the dozen other classes, either alone but typically in combination.

Highlights from American Diabetes Associations (ADA) which took place on June 21-25, 2013, in Chicago, IL, are available in a newsletter published by The American Journal of Managed Care.

Rodney Hayward, MD, and Sheldon Greenfield, MD, discussed the benefits of quality care measures and explored some of the remaining areas for improvement. Some groups advocate for the use of composite quality care measures that reflect treatment guidelines and suggest that the same targets not be applied to all patients.

Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) agonists and dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors are associated with additional effects beyond prolonging the effect of incretins. Laurie Baggio, PhD, reviewed many of the studies showing the independent anti-inflammatory effects of these drugs, which may be explored for future indications. These effects may help scientists understand some of the mechanisms behind inflammation in the body, as explained by Julio Ayala, PhD. Finally, concerns about pancreatitis with DPP-4 inhibitors and GLP-1 agonists may be largely unfounded, as explained by Vanita Aroda, MD.

In this session, Robert Eckel, MD, discussed new and emerging therapies for obesity. New agents fill a therapeutic gap by allowing patients to achieve weight loss between 5% and 15% of body weight, leading to improved outcomes in patients with type 2 diabetes and metabolic disease.

Ronald J. Sigal, MD, MPH, a professor of medicine, cardiac sciences, kinesiology, and community health sciences at the University of Calgary in Canada, and a Health Senior Scholar at the Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research, pulls from his experience to discuss the reality of the current expectations and goals for exercise and physical activity in the overweight or obese patient with diabetes, and offers his solutions.

Philip R. Schauer, MD, the director of the Bariatric and Metabolic Institute (BMI) at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio contends that accountable care organizations (ACOs) need to recognize obesity as a legitimate disease that is the basis for many other serious conditions. He emphasizes that obesity certainly requires treatment, and surgery is an appropriate intervention for certain patients.

Carl Dean Benton, RPh, explains how pharmacists can contribute to improvements in patient care through counseling programs. With the provisions of the Affordable Care Act, many insurers may begin to recognize the benefits of pharmacist-driven counseling initiatives, and integrate these programs to help improve outcomes for patients with type 2 diabetes.

Brand Logo

259 Prospect Plains Rd, Bldg H
Cranbury, NJ 08512

609-716-7777

© 2025 MJH Life Sciences®

All rights reserved.

Secondary Brand Logo