Letter from the Editor: History of Insulin Therapy and New Diabetes Treatment Possibilities

Last week I was discussing insulin therapy with my interns as we were evaluating insulin choices for a local physician. The consensus was to start on a long acting insulin like glargine and then titrate based on glucose levels with a patient directed protocol. This seemed to be a natural to them and the overriding factor was the avoidance of hypoglycemia. This reminded me of how much insulin therapy has changed over the past 75 years and Huong-Thao Le, 2011 Doctor of Pharmacy Candidate LEECOM, Bradenton, FL, put together a short history of the changes for you that have occurred since the discovery of insulin. Click here to read History of Type 1 Diabetes Treatments.

You may want to take a look at this week’s Item #10 as there is new research showing howsitagliptin can affect fat distribution and cause a redistribution of body fat from the abdominal fat deposits to deposits under the skin. If you put that together with an item from last week about sterculic oil Plant Oil Possible Key to Reducing Obesity it appears that we may have some new ways to actually prevent diabetes.

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Announcements:

dLife.com: April 10, 7PM ET on CNBC

Topics: dLife brings you the harrowing story of Ernest Sterzer, a type 1 teenager who survived the unthinkable in Nazi Germany. Also a special tribute to the late, great sports legend, Ron Santo. Sundays on CNBC at 7 PM ET, 6 PM CT, and 4 PM PT. Catch up on dLife.com.

TCOYD Conference and Health Fair, Albuquerque, NM, May 21, 2011

Join Special Guests Robert Lewis, “The Happy Diabetic,” and Kim Lyons, Fitness expert, Professional Trainer and Certified Nutritionist — for a full day event also including: state-of-the-art technologies and advances in diabetes care; afternoon workshops; and physical activities for everyone.

Please answer this week’s poll: How interested are you in learning more about Shared Medical Appointments (SMAs)?

View last week’s poll results.

Check out this week’s “Test Your Diabetes Knowledge” question!

Dave Joffe, Editor-in-chief