July 9, 2016 : Issue #841

• Metabolic Surgery: Standard Treatment Option for Type 2?
• The Aftermath of Bariatric Surgery in Adolescents
• Weight Loss Surgery and its Effect on Quality of Life
• Exclusive Interview: Dr. Aaron Vinik on What Matters in Studying Bariatric Surgery Outcomes
  Read Transcript  |  View Video

Sixteen years ago when Steve and I started this newsletter, we were sending it out to 30 pharmacists we knew. As more and more of you started subscribing and sharing our site and newsletter with others, I would sometimes sit at my desk in awe of what we had accomplished and the quality of professionals who actually read what we published. I was further excited when we would show up at AADE or ADA and readers would actually come up and thank us for the information we were providing. However, we would mostly gauge how good a job we were doing by the quality of the professionals we could feature.

This week I believed we have hit the pinnacle in quality professionals because Aaron I. Vinik, MD, PhD, FCP, MACP, FACE, who won the 2016 American College of Endocrinology Distinction in Endocrinology Award, has been a friend and on our advisory board for the past six years. His work in neuropathy has been legendary. This week he turns his attention to bariatric surgery and the benefits of this procedure over the long term in a special interview with Steve Freed, our publisher. You can click here to watch the interview, or if you would rather read the transcript, click here.

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We can make a difference!

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Dave Joffe, Editor-in-chief

Aaron I. Vinik, MD, PhD, FCP, MACP, FACE, professor of medicine, pathology and neurobiology, and director of the research and neuroendocrine unit at Eastern Virginia Medical School, received the 2016 American College of Endocrinology Distinction in Endocrinology Award during the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists Annual Scientific and Clinical Congress.

The Distinction in Endocrinology Award is given to an AACE member in recognition of advancing the understanding of endocrinology through research and education. Vinik, a recognized global leader in basic and clinical neuropathy, has defined the heterogeneity of neuropathy; established a need for a modular approach depending on the particular nerve fiber damaged; and pioneered immunotherapy for autoimmune neuropathies.

See Dr. Vinik’s interview at the AACE 2016 conference with Diabetes in Control publisher Steve Freed or read the transcript, including updates on the newest developments and comments on bariatric surgery.

Are you changing your criteria for recommending metabolic surgery to your patients based on the new guidelines issued by International Diabetes Federation Taskforce on Epidemiology and Prevention of Diabetes (see article 1)?

Baritastic is a tool for your patients. Already the most robust app built specifically for the bariatric patient, now your program can connect, support, and monitor your patients using the Baritastic app. They use many of the same features in Baritastic to create a unique free app specifically for your program.

42 year old female, 5’ 4”, 275 lbs, BMI 47.2 kg/m2. History of hypertension, chronic low back pain, severe gastroesophageal reflux disease, depression and type 2 diabetes (diagnosed 2 years ago), and anxiety/depression. Medications include lisinopril 10 mg daily, oxycodone 5 mg TID prn, omeprazole 20 mg daily, metformin 500 mg BID, and paroxetine 20 mg daily. She has been actively working with her PCP on losing weight with diet modification and water aerobics but has only lost about 4% of her weight in the past 6 months.

Current labs: (fasting) blood glucose 154 mg/dl, Hgb A1c 6.7 Creatinine 1.6, mg/dl and TSH of 3.6 U/ml.

What is the best course of action?

New guidelines cite effectiveness, cost efficiency, and safety as reasons to consider procedure.

The benefits of weight loss surgery for younger patients may persist for years.

Weight loss surgery helping in the reduction of type 2 diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia, cardiovascular disease sexual dysfunction — even mortality rate.

In this exclusive interview, Dr. Vinik shares his views on what matters in studying bariatric surgery outcomes, and why weight loss and effect on diabetes are not the key questions for him.

In part 2 of this exclusive interview, Dr. Aaron Vinik discusses the realities of prescribing for patients with diabetes: insurance, off-label prescribing, new medications, and managing insulin.

In this exclusive interview, Dr. Aaron Vinik discusses bariatric surgery and cardiovascular health, and the benefits of empagliflozen in reducing sudden cardiac death.

Quote of the Week!

“Your attitude, not your aptitude, will determine your altitude.”

…Zig Ziglar

Your Friends in Diabetes Care
Steve and Dave
Diabetes In Control
810 Bear Tavern Road Suite 102
Ewing, NJ, 08628
USA
www.diabetesincontrol.com