Diabetes In Control News http://www.diabetesincontrol.com Tue, 16 Mar 2010 01:01:12 +0100 FeedCreator 1.7.3 http://www.diabetesincontrol.com/images/M_images/joomla_rss.png http://www.diabetesincontrol.com Diabetes In Control News http://www.diabetesincontrol.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=9058&Itemid= By Sheri Colberg, PhD, FACSM A few years ago it was announced that sedentary lifestyles and poor eating habits were poised to overtake smoking as the leading cause of preventable death -- yes, preventable. Are your patients aware that exercise is likely the best "medicine" that they will ever come across to prevent this and without any of the bad side effects that medications frequently have? Fri, 12 Mar 2010 19:40:19 +0100 http://www.diabetesincontrol.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=9057&Itemid=36 Tamsulosin: Generic Version of Flomax This alpha blocker used to treat an enlarged prostate (BPH) is used by many of our patients and generated over 1.9 billion dollars in sales for manufacturer Astellas Pharma, Inc., and their U.S. partner, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals. The drugmaker Ranbaxy is shipping to pharmacies as you read this. Fri, 12 Mar 2010 18:35:33 +0100 http://www.diabetesincontrol.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=9054&Itemid= "Start where you are with what you have. Make something of it and never be satisfied."       .............George Washington Carver Thu, 11 Mar 2010 01:02:35 +0100 http://www.diabetesincontrol.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=9053&Itemid= March 15, 2010 -- SPECIAL NEWSFLASH!: Amylin, Lilly and Alkermes received a Complete Response Letter from FDA for Exenatide Once Weekly. New drug to be called BYDUREON (exenatide for extended-release injectable suspension). For more information, click on this link: Exenatide Once Weekly FDA Update (http://www.diabetesincontrol.com/articles/newsflash/9060-newsflash-exenatide-once-weeklyfda-update) *************************************************************** Steve, Andrew and I are in Washington, DC, this week, attending the American Pharmacy Association conference, and seeing some of the newest concepts in patient care. There seems to be a groundswell of efforts to get pharmacists more involved with patients and clinicians to help manage increasingly complex drug regimens. And with the developments in the science of "pharmacogenomics," it is almost a given that pharmacists will become more involved in the future, and that technology will play an even bigger role. During one of the breakout sessions on electronic prescribing there were multiple comments about how well this is working for pharmacists and how it had decreased errors and office calls. Over the past six weeks I have had the opportunity to delivery continuing education to over 1,300 nurses and pharmacists including 300 at the APhA conference. After the programs, pharmacists, nurses and other medical professionals ask me how they can learn more and get involved with diabetes.... Wed, 10 Mar 2010 03:25:27 +0100 http://www.diabetesincontrol.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=9052&Itemid=6 Wed, 10 Mar 2010 03:20:15 +0100 http://www.diabetesincontrol.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=9051&Itemid=10 A 49-year-old male cardiologist who has had Type 1 diabetes for 22 years is concerned that his current regimen of insulin glargine 20 U at bedtime and pre-meal insulin lispro, the dosage of which depends on his carbohydrate intake and self-monitoring of blood glucose results, offers him less lifestyle flexibility than he desires. He has followed this basal-bolus regimen for almost 1 year with excellent glycemic control; his last hemoglobin A1c value was 6.2%. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 03:17:48 +0100 http://www.diabetesincontrol.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=9050&Itemid=7   Ninety-two Percent of Pre-Diabetes Patients Are Unaware of their Status See this week's Item #4. (http://www.diabetesincontrol.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=9041&catid=1&Itemid=8) FDA Panel Sees User Errors with Insulin Pumps. See this week's Item #12. (http://www.diabetesincontrol.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=9033&catid=1&Itemid=8)   Wed, 10 Mar 2010 01:51:50 +0100 http://www.diabetesincontrol.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=9049&Itemid=11 Clarity of Insulin Prescriptions The drug that has the most prescription errors is insulin. Recently there has been significant interest in the safe use of insulin, partly arising from local awareness of serious insulin related incidents. A key element that has been raised repeatedly is the lack of clarity of many prescriptions for insulin. Do you know the Six Elements that need to be on every prescription to prevent errors? Click on this link for a guide to what needs to be on every insulin prescription to prevent errors. Clarity of Insulin Prescriptions   Wed, 10 Mar 2010 01:47:55 +0100 http://www.diabetesincontrol.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=9048&Itemid=23 Ninety-two Percent of Pre-Diabetes Patients Are Unaware of their Status: Most people are not aware of whether or not they are pre-diabetic and most who know they are, are not doing anything about it, say US health officials. And from the ARIC study, those with prediabetes are found to be at risk for cardiovascular disease with an A1c over 5%. See this week's Item #4. (http://www.diabetesincontrol.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=9041&catid=1&Itemid=8)   Wed, 10 Mar 2010 01:39:12 +0100 http://www.diabetesincontrol.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=9047&Itemid=23 Your Metformin May Smell Fishy: If your metformin smells like the inside of an inner tube or week old fish, you're not the only one. If you regularly take metformin, one of the oldest and most respected tools in doctors' anti-diabetes kits, chances are that you don't detect the unpleasant odor that turns some Type 2's against the drug. Some think it has a fishy smell, while others say that it reminds them of the inside of an inner tube. It's usually metformin's immediate-release formulation that has the off-putting smells, according to a Georgia professor who described the phenomenon in the February 16 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine. See this week's Item #2. (http://www.diabetesincontrol.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=9043&catid=1&Itemid=8) Wed, 10 Mar 2010 01:38:20 +0100 http://www.diabetesincontrol.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=9046&Itemid=34 Supplementing with Omega-3's Can Reduce Blood Glucose: In subjects with Type 2 diabetes mellitus, six weeks of supplementation with omega-3 fatty acids reduced the postprandial decrease in macrovascular function relative to placebo, and improved postprandial microvascular function, according to a recent German study In a double blind, placebo-controlled, randomized, crossover manner, 34 subjects with Type 2 diabetes mellitus received daily either 2 g of purified eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA)/ docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) (termed omega-3 fatty acids) or olive oil (placebo) for six weeks. Fasting vascular function remained unchanged after omega-3 fatty acids and placebo. Postprandial flow-mediated dilatation (FMD) decreased from fasting after placebo, with a maximum decrease (38%) at four hours -- an effect that was significantly reduced by omega-3 fatty acid supplementation. Reactive hyperemia remained unchanged after placebo, whereas it improved significantly after omega-3 fatty acids supplementation. (Am J Clin Nutr. 2010;91:808-813) Wed, 10 Mar 2010 01:37:14 +0100 http://www.diabetesincontrol.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=9045&Itemid=34 New Trend Developing -- "Constant Eating":According to a new study from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, American kids are developing a trend toward "constant eating." Most kids eat three snacks a day in addition to three meals a day. Researchers feel that this is a contributing factor for the increase in childhood obesity. The study includes surveys of food intake of over 31,000 American kids from 1977 to 2006. Since 1977 the percentage of kids who eat snacks between meals has risen from 74% to 98%. A majority of kids snack on empty calories and junk foods such as salty, sugary, and fat-ridden foods. Candy consumption is also on the rise. As the childhood obesity rate climbs, so does the incidence of Type 2 diabetes in kids. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 01:36:33 +0100 http://www.diabetesincontrol.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=9044&Itemid=8 Glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), even at levels considered in the "normal" range, emerged as an independently significant predictor of heart-disease events, stroke, and death over more than a decade in an analysis from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study. The risks of incident diabetes, coronary heart disease events, and death were significantly increased for all HbA1c values higher than the reference range of 5.0% to Wed, 10 Mar 2010 01:28:39 +0100 http://www.diabetesincontrol.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=9043&Itemid=8 An immediate-release form of the antidiabetic agent metformin has a dead fish odor that may cause patients to stop taking the drug, clinicians warned. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 01:27:08 +0100 http://www.diabetesincontrol.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=9042&Itemid=8 Normal-weight women who drink a light to moderate amount of alcohol appear to gain less weight and have a lower risk of becoming overweight and obese than non-drinkers, according to a new report.  Wed, 10 Mar 2010 01:25:13 +0100 http://www.diabetesincontrol.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=9041&Itemid=8 Most people are not aware whether they are pre-diabetic and most who know they are, are not doing anything about it, say U.S. health officials. And from the ARIC study, those with prediabetes are found to be at risk for cardiovascular disease with an A1c above 5%. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 01:23:46 +0100 http://www.diabetesincontrol.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=9040&Itemid=8 The FDA warned 17 food makers -- including POM and Nestle -- that their "misleading" product labels violate federal law. The warning letters say the firms face having their products pulled from grocery shelves if they don't make changes. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 01:22:14 +0100 http://www.diabetesincontrol.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=9039&Itemid=8 Lower glucose thresholds for gestational diabetes called for by an international consensus panel may double and possibly even triple the number of women diagnosed.  Wed, 10 Mar 2010 01:20:27 +0100 http://www.diabetesincontrol.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=9038&Itemid=8 The FDA and manufacturer of the HomeChoice and HomeChoice PRO dialysis systems have notified patients of a class I device recall -- the FDA's most serious -- after a number of reported injuries and one death. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 01:18:52 +0100 http://www.diabetesincontrol.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=9037&Itemid=8 Adults tend to eat less pizza and drink less soda as the price of these items increases, and their body weight and overall calorie intake also appear to decrease, according to a new report. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 01:17:07 +0100 http://www.diabetesincontrol.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=9036&Itemid=8 The Brits have it right. Provide blood glucose testing supplies to those who have been educated and know what to do with the information. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 01:13:01 +0100 http://www.diabetesincontrol.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=9035&Itemid=8 Even intentional napping may increase older adults' risk of Type 2 diabetes, according to a large cohort study. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 01:11:18 +0100 http://www.diabetesincontrol.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=9034&Itemid=8 They have become a common means of transport for the ageing population. But new research suggests mobility scooters could do more harm than good by increasing the risk of diabetes and heart disease. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 01:09:41 +0100 http://www.diabetesincontrol.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=9033&Itemid=8 Diabetics who wear insulin pumps appear more likely to experience problems from improper use than a device defect, members of a U.S. government advisory panel said last week. More education is needed to prevent the most common errors.  Wed, 10 Mar 2010 01:07:41 +0100 http://www.diabetesincontrol.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=9032&Itemid=8 Not getting enough sleep does more damage than just leaving you with puffy eyes. It can cause fat to accumulate around your organs – more dangerous, researchers say, than those pesky love handles and jiggly thighs.   Wed, 10 Mar 2010 01:05:23 +0100 http://www.diabetesincontrol.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=9031&Itemid=8 Donating a kidney does not appear to significantly increase long-term risk of death. An analysis of outcomes for live kidney donors in the U.S. over a 15 year period finds they have similar long-term survival rates compared to healthy individuals who were not kidney donors, according to a study in JAMA. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 01:03:38 +0100 http://www.diabetesincontrol.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=9030&Itemid=8 Vigorous physical activity is associated with a modestly lower risk of cardiovascular disease when compared with activities of moderate intensity, a new study shows. The researchers found that the total volume of activity may be associated with the greatest reduction in risk, however, and that increased physical activity, even vigorous activity, did not appear to have any detrimental effects. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 01:01:43 +0100 http://www.diabetesincontrol.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=9029&Itemid=24 Novo Nordisk has provided an unrestricted educational grant to the University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy with a vision to "Change Diabetes," creating DM EducateTM, a unique internet-based, comprehensive diabetes continuing education course, which has recently been revised offering updated and new content. DM EducateTM offers current information prepared and presented by nationally recognized experts in the management and education of patients with diabetes. Over 85 colleges and universities throughout the world have recognized the importance of DM EducateTM by utilizing the program to augment pharmacy student instruction in diabetes management. Tue, 09 Mar 2010 19:12:47 +0100 http://www.diabetesincontrol.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=9055&Itemid= CME/CE of the Week Gestational Diabetes Mellitus Lois Jovanovic, MD Category: CDE CE Credits: 75 Wed, 17 Feb 2010 21:19:14 +0100 http://www.diabetesincontrol.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=9056&Itemid= Featured Jobs Physician - Clinical General Internist - U.S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs Albany, New York Physician - Endocrinology - MeritCare Health System Fargo, North Dakota... Mon, 15 Feb 2010 23:59:03 +0100