Acupuncture Improves Diabetes Related Gastroparesis
In a small study, diabetes patients with gastroparesis experienced significant relief of nausea when using needleless acupuncture....
Infection Linked to Injecting through Clothing
After extending incubation period for cultures, non-tuberculous mycobacteria cutaneous infection was found on woman injecting insulin through clothing....
AACE: Why Physicians Delay the Start of Insulin in Type 2 Diabetes Patients
The perception that insulin therapy may be too burdensome for patients has led primary care physicians to delay the use of insulin therapy in patient with type 2 diabetes....
Injectable Nano-Particles Control Blood Sugar for Extended Time
Nano-particle network maintains normal blood glucose levels for up to 10 days....
AACE – New Test Efficiently Detects Diabetic Neuropathy
A recent FDA-approved device is proving to be a promising method for detecting neuropathy in patients with diabetes....
ISMP: IV Insulin Administration
From our partners at the Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP), this week we have a review of IV Insulin Administration and two examples of what can go wrong when the correct procedures are not adhered to.
Mixed Views on Computer/Smart Phone-based Management for Diabetes
A study focused on social networking and support groups showed the effects of these programs on blood sugar levels are short-term....
Patients (and Caregivers) Must Demonstrate Insulin Injection Technique
A patient came into our emergency room recently with severe hypoglycemia (blood glucose of 34 mg/dl).
J&J Recalls 2 Million Blood Glucose Meters
Meters fail to warn of extremely high glucose levels; OneTouch Verio IQ, Verio Pro and Verio Pro+ affected....
Artificial Pancreas Beats Insulin Pump
Artificial pancreas reduces nighttime hypoglycemia and improves control compared to an insulin pump....
Accidents Will Happen But Damage Can Be Minimized
Over the years I have had many patients come into the pharmacy requesting a replacement bottle of insulin because they've accidentally dropped a bottle. Recently, a patient shared this experience:
Letter from the Editor #668:
This week we are sharing a plea from the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE) for medical professionals and diabetes patients to urge members of Congress to pass the National Diabetes Clinical Care Commission Act. This...
Insulin Pump Trainers and Training
An insulin pump trainer who worked with a pump company recently trained one of our patients in his home.
Artificial Pancreas: A Better Option For Type 1 Diabetic Patients
An artificial pancreas, AKA a closed-loop delivery system, significantly improves overnight glycemic control and reduces nocturnal hypoglycemic episodes...
A New 3-Day Disposable Insulin Delivery Device for Type 2 Diabetic Patients
PaQ(TM) can help type 2 diabetic patients increase compliance as well as provide better and safer glycemic management….
Letter from the Editor #666: ARK-Care Real-time Data Management System
It seems like every day there is a new study that conflicts with the results released only a couple of days before. Over the past 3 months we have had 5 articles discussing whether diet drinks increase caloric intake, appetite and diabetes risk.
ISMP: A Clinical Reminder about the Safe Use of Insulin Vials
This feature article by our partner in diabetes safety, the Institute for Safe Medication Practices, summarizes the risks of insulin pen use in hospitals, the crucial importance of proper training for a safe transition to the use of insulin vials...
New Dialysis Method Reduces Death
A dialysis method that removes more toxins than the conventional procedure reduced the risk of death from any cause by 30%….
Low Adherence to Diabetic Footwear Means Trouble
Patients wear custom made shoes less at home and on weekends….
Letter from the Editor, #664: The Glucocard Expression
Every week our publisher and production editor give me a deadline to have my "Letter from the Editor" to them. It seems no matter how early I get started, I barely get it to them in time. This delay in doing my part causes all of us extra...
Testing More Often Leads to Better Control
Frequent blood sugar testing was strongly associated with better diabetes control….
Your Patients' Guide to Better Office Visits
Predictors of Diabetes Health Care Costs Identified
High costs linked to suboptimal glycemic control, impaired renal function, and proteinuria....
Closed-loop Delivery System Reduces Hypos and Improves Control
A pump with two chambers, one for insulin and one for glucagon can….
New Scan Capable of Seeing Beta Cells
A new imaging method for the study of insulin-producing cells in diabetes among other uses has been developed by a group of researchers at Umeå University in Sweden....
New ADA Guidelines for Blood Glucose Self-monitoring
The new ADA blood glucose self-monitoring recommendations do not prescribe how many tests should be done but rather focus on the individual situations in which testing should occur....
AliveCor's iPhone ECG Application Approved by FDA
The novel iPhone application and device could be used to prevent strokes....
New Insulin Pump PaQ® Enabling Glycemic Control without Daily Insulin Injections for People with Type 2 Diabetes Approved in Europe
CeQur SA, a company focused on the development and commercialization of simple insulin delivery devices, announced that the PaQ® Insulin Delivery Device has received CE Mark approval....
Smartphones Boost Diabetes Outcomes
Patients who received mobile-based diabetes care, including a wireless glucometer and a smartphone containing a personalized care plan, showed lower A1C levels at six months compared with those who had usual care....
First Possible Non-Invasive Continuous Glucose Monitor Approved in Europe
C8 MediSensors, Inc. has received Europe's CE Mark approval for its Optical Non-Invasive CGM System....
Airport Full-Body Scans Can Cause Malfunction of Insulin Pumps and CGMS Systems
A new report suggests people with diabetes who wear an insulin pump or a continuous glucose monitoring device may encounter a problem when going through a full-body scanning machine....
Electrical Stimulation May Relieve Gastroparesis
Electrical stimulation (ES) at specific acupuncture points could relieve gastroparesis symptoms associated with diabetes, such as nausea, vomiting, early satiety, abdominal fullness, upper abdominal pain and bloating....
New System Controls Overnight Glucose Levels in Type 1 Diabetes
Researchers have developed a new automated, portable glucose control system which safely manages overnight glucose levels in adolescents and young adults with type 1 diabetes....
Physicians Recommending Apps to Their Baby Boomer Patients
Sixty percent of boomers are likely to download an app recommended by a physician, but the question is how to get them to use it....
Everolimus-Eluting Stents Work Best in Diabetes Patients
All drug-eluting coronary stents (DES) are more effective than their bare-metal counterparts in diabetic patients, without any compromise in safety, but it is likely that the everolimus-eluting stent is the most effective DES in the diabetic...
LEAP Program: Free Monofilaments
This monofilament, produced by the Lower...
Pedometer Doubles Walking Time
Use of the device nearly doubled the time seniors spent strolling each week....
Pramlintide + Insulin in Closed Loop System Improves Glucose Control
Adding pramlintide before meals improves blood glucose control in patients with type 1 diabetes receiving insulin through an external closed-loop artificial pancreas system....
Newer Technologies Work Better than Conventional Methods in Controlling Glucose
Newer technologies designed to help people with type 1 diabetes monitor their blood sugar levels daily work better than traditional methods....
Insulin Pumps Produced Better Results and Better Quality of Life for Adults
Patients with diabetes face choices in insulin delivery as well as glucose monitoring methods....
ADA: Closed-loop Artificial Pancreas Works
Closed-loop insulin delivery, also known as the "artificial pancreas," may help improve overnight glycemic control in the youngest patients....
Endobarrier (R)
Report by Jacqueline Vogt, PharmD Candidate, UF College of Pharmacy
More than one-third of adults and approximately 17% of children and adolescents...
The Virtual Examination Room: How New Technology Can Improve Diabetes Care
Telemedicine has proven to be an acceptable means of providing affordable and accessible care to patients in remote areas where endocrine care is not available....
Devices for Impaired Vision
This table provides the tools for your...
New System Automatically Updates Weekly Insulin Dosage for Better Glycemic Control with Fewer Hypoglycemic Events
Newly published results from a clinical study of the Diabetes Insulin Guidance System (DIGS), demonstrate DIGS' potential to improve blood glucose control for insulin-using patients with type 2 or type 1...
Electronic Daily Diaries Boost Adherence to Diet, Exercise Goals
In a prospective, randomized trial, people who used a personal digital assistant (PDA) to itemize their food intake were significantly more likely….
Bant iOS App for Your Patients
This is an easy to use application from the University Health Network that has graphs and trends to show...
Artificial Pancreas Testing Approved for Outpatients
The FDA has approved a key testing phase for an artificial pancreas developed by researchers of the University of Virginia, which could potentially automate care for millions of those with type 1 diabetes....
The Next Step toward the Artificial Pancreas Meets Efficacy Endpoints
World's first insulin pump with low glucose suspend feature showed that it reduces the time spent in the low threshold range....
Electronic Diary Helps Obese Adults Stick to Weight-Loss Plan
An electronic diary program helped improve overweight and obese adults' adherence to a weight-loss regimen but the results didn't last after 2 years....
The Artificial Pancreas Works!
In January, Elle, a type 1 normal teenager, walked into Massachusetts General Hospital to start the trial. Doctors fitted her for an artificial pancreas hooked up to a laptop, but in the future, the device will be the size of a cell...
Text Messaging Helps to Manage Diabetes
New published research assessed the feasibility of engaging adults with diabetes in self-management behaviors between clinic visits by using cell phone text messaging to provide blood sugar measurement prompts and appointment...
Glucose Monitors from the Past
I was working with a woman with type 1 diabetes. She was in her 20's and pregnant for the first time. I saw her after she had already seen her OB doctor and nurse for education. While working with her on her meal plan, I asked about her blood...
Surface Plasmonic Biochip to Detect Glucose Levels in Saliva
One holy grail of medical technology research has been the possibility of measuring patients' blood glucose levels indirectly, avoiding the universally hated needle pricks. Not only will this make millions of diabetics jump with joy, it will...
Gastric Bypass Provides More Rapid Weight Loss than Gastric Banding
According to the findings of a case-matched study, Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGBP) provides superior, more rapid weight loss than gastric banding (GB) and results in lower long-term complication and comorbidity rates, although it is...
Bariatric Surgery Not a Cure for Diabetes
According to Dimitrios Pournaras, MD as reported in the BMJ, "Bariatric surgery (gastric bypass, sleeve gastrectomy, or gastric banding) leads to complete remission in only about one third of patients with type 2 diabetes, and should be...
Animas Corp Receives Warning Letter from the FDA
In a warning letter to Animas posted online by the FDA, the agency wrote that inspectors found Animas never reported on one complaint about serious patient injury and delayed reporting on two others....
Medtronic Remote Diabetes Monitor Gets U.S. Approval
Medtronic Inc. has announced it has received regulatory approval for the first remote glucose monitor that will let parents check the blood sugar of a diabetic child sleeping in another room....
Closed-Loop Insulin Pump Effective and Safe in Pregnancy
Insulin delivery with a closed-loop system was at least as effective as continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion in a UK study of pregnant women with type 1 diabetes....
New Guidelines Promote Continuous Glucose Monitoring in Type 1's
Both pediatric and adult patients with type 1 diabetes should use CGM to measure blood glucose levels, according to new guidelines....
Pedometers Work to Improve CV Health Faster in Gastric Bypass Patients
Patients who use a pedometer to record the number of steps they take each day after gastric bypass surgery are more active and may be healthier....
New More Effective Algorithm for Mealtime Insulin Dose Estimation
Food insulin index improves acute postprandial glycemia in type 1 diabetes versus carb counting....
Positive Results for New Non-Invasive CGM System
Echo Therapeutics, a company developing the Symphony tCGM System as a non-invasive, wireless, transdermal continuous glucose monitoring (tCGM) system, announced positive results....
CGMS Plus Insulin Pump Improves Glycemic Control
Patients with type 1 diabetes improved their glycemic control by switching from multiple daily insulin injections to sensor-augmented pump (SAP) therapy....
Maggot Debridement Promotes Healing of Long-Standing Wounds
Maggots are an effective, low-cost salvage option to debride poorly vascularized, infected wounds in patients with diabetes, especially when vascular remediation is not possible....
Interactive Mobile App Teaches People How to Manage Diabetes
A new interactive mobile phone app called DiabetesIQ, released this week, challenges people to test their knowledge of diabetes and to compete with one another as they learn about the complexities of the disease....
Insulin Pumps Can Increase or Decrease Insulin Dose when Flying
Changes in cabin pressure during flights may cause insulin pumps to deliver too much or too little of the medication -- possibly putting sensitive diabetes patients at risk, researchers report....
Insulin Pen Devices Chart (MPR)
Hackers Can Remotely Manipulate Insulin Pumps
Insulin pumps are vulnerable to determined hackers who could also remotely mess up the readings of blood-sugar monitors, a security researcher who has diabetes revealed at the Black Hat computer security conference, Las Vegas,...
Diabetes Disaster Averted #46: When It's Too Hot to Handle
I recently had one of my long term type 1 patients on an insulin pump run into a big problem. She had been on an older pump for about 5 years and had recently changed brands because of the features of the newer pump….
New Technology Helps Patients Manage Diabetes
An interactive computer software program appears to be effective in helping patients manage their Type 2 diabetes using their mobile phones, according to a new study....
Compatibility of Glucose Meters with Lancets and Test Strips
How to Use a Mini Dose of Glucagon (pdf)
When your child with diabetes is sick and cannot keep food down, his or her blood glucose can drop quickly....
Surgeons Pioneer New Ways to Treat Diabetes
Surgeons at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center are innovating new ways to treat diabetes using techniques from weight-loss surgery, including experimental procedures to improve blood glucose levels and address...
Insulin Aspart by Jet Injection Enhances Absorption
Using jet injection of insulin instead of conventional pen devices can halve the time required to reach appropriate glucose-lowering effects....
ADA: Scientists Getting Closer to Artificial Pancreas
With lawmakers and diabetes advocates ramping up the pressure, U.S. officials this week outlined a regulatory path for a preliminary version of the device....
ADA: Insulin Pump Suspend Feature Halts Hypoglycemia
Insulin pumps that automatically shut down when blood glucose hits a certain low level decrease the amount of time pediatric patients spend in hypoglycemia....
Diabetes Disaster Averted #40: Pump Confusion
I was sent in to see a patient with very poor control on an insulin pump. When I reviewed his log sheets, I kept seeing 7 unit boluses at almost every meal. I asked the patient why he kept giving himself 7...
Progress on the Artificial Pancreas
Initial studies of the artificial pancreas used only a partially automated system to monitor glucose levels and deliver appropriate doses of insulin....
Continuous Glucose Monitoring an Option for Infants, Toddlers
Can continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) be used on infants and toddlers? Should it be?...
Editor's Note: Knowing Your A1c and Learning How to Use an Insulin Pen Correctly
While I was talking to a large group of employees on the west coast of Florida, I made the comment that if you are over 40 and have a family history of diabetes, overweight, hypertension or have elevated lipids, you should get an A1c test at...
Diabetes Disaster Averted #39: Dialing in On Insulin Pens
I recently had a patient whose blood glucose levels were not under control. Her blood sugar was over 400 when she was referred to me and she had started on an insulin pen. Rather than try to change doses I thought I would check out her technique...
Eye Examination Provides Clues to Diabetic Nerve Damage
A simple eye scan may detect early signs of diabetes-related nerve damage....
European Patent Granted for Monthly Epinex Diabetes Test
New patent issued for a monthly diabetes test that can help to prevent complications....
Carbohydrate Counting Improves Glycemic Control for Type 1s
Carbohydrate quantification is an effective and safe strategy to manage glycemia and improve QoL....
Animas' Glucose-Monitoring Insulin Pump with CGMS OK'd in Europe
Animas said it has received a CE Mark in Europe for its Animas Vibe product, which the company said is the first continuous glucose monitoring-enabled, waterproof insulin pump system for people with diabetes....
Cell Phones Keep Blood Pressure and Diabetes in Check
A mobile-phone-based remote patient monitoring system helped patients with Type 2 diabetes and uncontrolled hypertension get their blood pressure (BP) under control....
Self-Monitoring Eases Doctors' Reluctance to Start Insulin
Glucose monitors and at-home record-keeping improved outcomes for orally managed diabetics with poorly controlled disease -- by prompting their doctors to put them on insulin faster....
Why Gastric Bypass Surgery Cures Type 2 Diabetes
Gastric bypass surgery is great for curing Type 2 diabetes. It works for almost 80% of patients. Now scientists are beginning to figure out why and weight loss may be the least of it....
Letter from the Editor: Obesity Headlines, Glucocard 01 Meter
This week obesity is again in the headlines as the Obama administration is planning to ask food companies and restaurants to cut back on advertising unhealthy foods to children. Under guidelines obtained by us from the Associated...
Transplanting Beta Cells on Disc Possible New DiabetesTreatment
Doctors from Hackensack University Medical Center will be the first to try a procedure on humans with diabetes in hopes of finding a cure....
Artificial Pancreas May Improve Overnight Control of Diabetes in Adults
The "artificial pancreas" can improve overnight blood sugar control while keeping hypoglycemia at bay, even after a big meal and a glass of wine....
International Diabetes Federation Announces New Position Supporting Surgery to Treat Type 2 Diabetes
Bariatric surgery should be considered much earlier in the treatment of eligible patients to help stem the serious complications that can result from diabetes according to an IDF position statement....
Letter from the Editor: New Partnership with ISMP and Glucocard Vital Meter
For almost 11 years Steve and I have been sending you this newsletter, trying each week to make an impact on diabetes care with the hope that the information we are communicating is beneficial to you. During this time we have leveraged our...
Beware of Alcohol after Gastric Bypass
One glass of wine will raise alcohol levels significantly more after gastric bypass surgery, and affect the patients driving skills....
New Way to Diagnose Retinopathy
An accidental discovery by an Australian eye expert may hold the key to better management of people with diabetes....
Diabetes Disaster Averted #24: A Common Error with Insulin Pumps
I was working with a patient who'd recently had a pump upgrade and although he said he didn't have problems or issues with infusion set changes, I urged him to change his set while I was present. In the process, he did very well with...
Letter from the Editor: Unexplained Weight Loss
Over the past couple of months I have received calls from three of my old insulin pump patients asking me to decrease their doses. These patients were all using over 400 units of insulin a day and were at least 100 pounds...
Handheld Applications for Diabetes Management
by Janine Manning, PharmD Candidate
LECOM School of Pharmacy
New technological advances over the past decade have led to extraordinary changes for those living with diabetes. Technology has allowed us to go from...
Letter from the Editor: More CDC Data, LTC Caregiver and Patient Education, and the Latest Diabetes Management Apps
The CDC just released new data in their 2011 fact sheet which got overlooked in most journals. They now estimate that 26.9% of all patients over 65 have diabetes. This is almost 11 million patients and many of them...
Diabetes Disaster Averted #20: Insulin Pumps and Waterbeds
I recently had a pump patient who suddenly started having a problem in the morning with hypoglycemia, 30 minutes after arising but prior to taking her bolus for her breakfast. We recommended she change her infusion set and insertion...
Diabetes Disaster Averted #19: When It's Not a Good Idea to Recycle
Sometimes, just a simple instruction on the use of an insulin pen can prevent serious problems….
New Product: How high is your blood pressure? Ask your iPhone
How high is your blood pressure? Ask your iPhone
iHealth Lab has announced the iHealth...
Diabetes Disaster Averted #16: ID Bracelet Prevents Trip to ER
I had a patient who was diabetic and on insulin. He was a young man who liked to go out on weekends. I stressed how he needed to wear a medical ID bracelet and he did purchase one....
Diabetes Disaster Averted #14: Small Type Is a Big Danger
An elderly patient had attained good control with 70/30 insulin pen for a while but recently noticed his control was diminishing...
Diagnosis and Management of Type 2 Diabetes, 10th Edition, Ch 13-Pt 3
Assessment of the Treatment Regimen, Part 3
Diabetes Disaster Averted #10: Look-Alike Syringe Problem
A nurse mistook a standard tuberculin syringe for an insulin syringe and gave a patient 50 units of insulin instead of the prescribed 5 units....
Diabetes Disaster Averted #6: Incorrect Injection Technique Caught in Time
I had the pleasure of working with an elderly gentleman who was living alone. When he switched from insulin pens to....
Diabetes Disaster Averted #2: Insulin Pump Mystery
"One of our pump-using patients reported a sudden increase in blood glucose lasting several days. No ketones were present, but the blood glucose was chronically elevated (300 mg/dl plus). Changing infusion sets didn't fix it. Rotating to...
Diabetes Disaster Averted #1: U-500 Pharmacy Error
Last year I converted a patient to Humulin R U-500 Insulin for use in her pump. I called a chain pharmacy to order the prescription and, to make sure there would not be any confusion, gave the pharmacist the NDC number....
A Review of Insulin Pen Devices
Emily K. McCoy, PharmD and Bradley M. Wright, PharmD, BCPS
Abstract: Optimization of glycemic control is a fundamental aspect of diabetes management, and rates of diabetes-related microvascular complications are significantly...
Bayer's DIDGET(TM) Blood Glucose Meter
Reviewed by Dave Joffe, CDE, FACA. Editor-in-Chief
Bayer's CONTOUR® USB Blood Glucose Monitoring System
Reviewed by Dave Joffe, CDE, FACA, Editor-in-Chief
and Alexander Brown, PharmD Candidate Florida, A & M...
TempTouch - Infrared Skin Thermometer
Reviewed by Stephen Freed, Diabetes Educator, BSPharm, Publisher
It's as Easy as 1-2-3 Injections a Day -- Or Is It?
Dave Joffe, BSPharm, ...
Bayer's Contour USB Blood Glucose Monitoring System
Product Review by Alexander Brown, Sixth Year PharmD Candidate...
A Message from Medtronic
To Customers Previously Using "Lot 8" Quick-set* Infusion Sets
Diabetes Update, Part 3 of 3
In this week's series of Homerun Slides, we review the insulin analogs, the principles of...
Glucose Monitoring - Why Monitor?
In this week's set of Homerun Slides, we explore the question of why patients are so reluctant to...
