Detection of pre-diabetes conditions frequently associated with 
Diabetes affects approximately 3-4% of the British population but is thought to be significantly under-diagnosed. How can we improve the number of patients who are diagnosed early and so improve their risk of long-term complications?
hands on
monitoring
Glycated haemoglobin – HbA1C, or A1C as it is now being called – should be used to diagnose diabetes, according to a recent recommendation from an international expert committee appointed by the American Diabetes Association, the International Diabetes Federation and the European Association for the Study of Diabetes. We explore the basis for this recommendation, and look at why HbA1C would provide a more accurate measure for diagnosing diabetes than glucose tests and what the change would mean in clinical practice.
Diagnosing diabetes: who to test and what test to use
Diabetes affects approximately 3-4% of the British population but is thought to be significantly under-diagnosed. How can we improve the number of patients who are diagnosed early and so improve their risk of long-term complications?
New role for HbA1c in diagnosing diabetes
Glycated haemoglobin – HbA1C, or A1C as it is now being called – should be used to diagnose diabetes, according to a recent recommendation from an international expert committee appointed by the American Diabetes Association, the International Diabetes Federation and the European Association for the Study of Diabetes. We explore the basis for this recommendation, and look at why HbA1C would provide a more accurate measure for diagnosing diabetes than glucose tests and what the change would mean in clinical practice.
Starting on a GLP-1 analogue: Byetta or Victoza
Back to Basics: Blood glucose-lowering therapy
New drugs and where they fit in the treatment algorithm
In May 2009, NICE published recommendations on the use of newer agents for the control of blood glucose in type 2 diabetes. This guideline provides a partial update for NICE Clinical Guideline 66 on the management of type 2 diabetes that was published last year. These newer agents include the dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors, thiazolidinediones (TZDs), the glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) mimetic exenatide and the long-acting insulin analogues (insulin detemir and insulin glargine).
International expert committee recommends new role for HbA1C in diagnosing diabetes
Navigating the new NICE guideline on type 2 diabetes: Finding the best treatment pathway for each patient
The new NICE guideline enables us to individualise care bearing in mind the needs of the person in front of us. It is concerned with clinical efficacy, and – for once – the cost of care has not noticeably influenced its recommendations. In contrast, QOF does the exact opposite, demanding that we drive our patients’ HbA1c down to low […]
Helping patients with diabetes to win the battle to control their weight
Many people with type 2 diabetes are overweight or obese at diagnosis and continue to struggle to control their weight. This article looks at why people with diabetes find weight control more of a challenge than the rest of us and how practice nurses can help patients to remain positive, particularly when starting insulin to optimise blood glucose control.
Impaired Glucose Tolerance: What it is and How to Manage it
The new national strategy for vascular risk assessment, now being referred to as NHS Health Check, will include testing for diabetes and impaired glucose tolerance (IGT). This follows a major evaluation of the evidence showing that it is more cost-effective to screen individuals for IGT than screening for diabetes alone, but only as part of the broader vascular risk assessment. This article examines the concepts of IGT and impaired fasting glucose (IFG) and offers practical advice as to how these conditions can be managed in primary care.
