Diabetes is a serious condition that currently affects more than 17 million Americans. Therefore, several factors are suggested and discussed each year to reduce risk of diabetes, prevent complications and improve the lives of those currently affected. There are numerous revisions being made to the Clinical Practice Recommendations for 2004.
One major change is going to be the definition of pre-diabetes, based on the Report of the Expert Committee on the Diagnosis and Classification of Diabetes Mellitus. Pre-diabetes is the classification of someone whose blood glucose numbers are higher than normal, but not high enough to be called diabetes. The blood glucose numbers that are usually used to determine whether someone has pre-diabetes are going to be lowered so that people can start making important lifestyle changes sooner. This will give them more time to lose weight or increase their physical activity, which will reduce the chance of their blood glucose levels rising.
There are also going to be several revisions to various factors of standard diabetes care, including the following:
Lower A1c. An A1c (average blood glucose over the last 2-3 months) of 7% was usually the target. But an A1c of less than 6% should be considered for certain patients.
Lower LDL. People with diabetes over age 40 with a total cholesterol level of 135 mg/dL or more should reduce their levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol by 30%.
Aspirin use. Recommendations regarding aspirin as prevention in type 1 and type 2 diabetes and in heart disease are going to be clarified.
Retinopathy (diabetes-related eye disease). With the approval of their eye care professionals, low-risk patients might need less frequent eye exams.
Foot care. There are new recommendations for screening of peripheral arterial disease (PAD). PAD occurs when clogged arteries reduce blood flow to the arms and legs, resulting in pain, cramps and fatigue of the limbs. Diabetes is one risk factor for PAD.
You should talk with your health care provider about the outcomes of these and other revisions of the 2004 Clinical Practice Recommendations. Remember, what is right for someone else might not be right for you. Everyone has their own targets and goals for successful diabetes management.
