Would you prefer a single-payer insurance program? Follow the link to cast your vote!

Whites and blacks with a genetic predisposition to type 2 diabetes have an increased risk of mortality.

Mr. Carlson is a 52-year-old Caucasian grocery store manager you saw last week for a new patient visit. His labs from that visit were significant for elevated random plasma glucose 166 mg/dL, A1C 7.4% and elevated lipids (TG=175 mg/dL, LDL 148 mg/dL, HDL 38 mg/dL, total cholesterol 221 mg/dL). He has returned to your clinic for a follow-up appointment. His physical exam is notable for central abdominal obesity (waist circumference 42”), left eyelid xanthelasma, BP 147/91, HR 72, RR 18, BMI 36 kg/m2, but otherwise normal. A repeat A1C test shows A1C 7.6%. Mr. Carlson smokes between 1 and 1.5 packs of cigarettes daily. After discussing the labs and your findings with Mr. Carlson, you begin collaborating on a management plan. You write prescriptions for metformin, a statin and ACE inhibitor. Mr. Carlson doesn’t think “taking medication will be too tough,” but expresses skepticism about your recommendations for a change in his diet, exercise and smoking programs because he has tried them, without success, in the past. You are concerned about Mr. Carlson’s cigarette use because cigarette smoking has been shown to have multiple physiological impacts on health. Which one of the following statements regarding smoking and type 2 diabetes is true? A. It equally affects all-cause mortality in individuals with and without diabetes. B. In individuals with diabetes, it causes more rapid progression to micro- and macroalbuminuria. C. It has not been linked to worsening glycemic control. D. The use of bupropion is contraindicated in diabetes. Follow the link to see the correct answer!

Innovation and improvement in CGMS technology has risen dramatically over the last 2 years, paving the way for the artificial pancreas.

We know that life can get very hectic. Luckily, things just got a whole lot easier for you. Reach YOUR doctor, not just any doctor, from home or on the go. With TouchCare, you can now see your doctor via safe, secure, HIPAA compliant video calls. No need to travel to the office or waste time in the waiting room. Simply download the app, connect with your doctor and start the call. TouchCare is convenient. It supplements in-office visits, providing a perfect platform for follow-up appointments, discussing test results, medication refills and much more!

Female, type 1 diabetes, 32 years of age, glucose fluctuations, has worn a pump for years. Thought she “had” to. Has never liked wearing a pump. Met her for the first time, informed her she does not have to wear a pump. Some people are able to manage their diabetes as well or even better with injections. She wanted to try.

For those of you trying to enrich your vocabulary and understand the biological side of diabetes, you may want to look up the word mesenchyme. I was totally in the dark as to the meaning, and when I first read this week’s Clinical Text from International Textbook of Diabetes Mellitus, I found …

In part 3 of this exclusive video, DIC publisher Steve Freed talks with Dr. George Bakris about an idea to create an at-home test to screen for possible kidney disease.

Pancreatic growth and epithelial branching morphogenesis: the extensively branched structure of the mature pancreas is attained by continued growth and remodeling of the primitive tubular epithelium in both dorsal and ventral buds. Once the buds have been induced, they are critically dependent on interaction with the mesenchyme for continued morphogenesis and cytodifferentiation.

In this week's Homerun Slides, preventive measures to fight dental infections and delayed wound healing.