May 29, 2018 : DCMS #399

DISASTERS AVERTED — Near Miss Case Studies

Seasons, Reasons & Celebrations

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW — Candid Video Interviews with Top Practitioners

George Bakris Part 6, Best Resting Heart Rate

HOMERUN SLIDES — Great Clinical Presentation Highlights

Prediabetes Part 2

CLINICAL GEMS — The Best from Diabetes Texts

International Textbook of Diabetes Mellitus, 4th Ed., Excerpt #127: Beta-Cell Mass and Function in Human Type 2 Diabetes Part 3

MOST POPULAR ARTICLES OF THE MONTH

#1 Very Low Carbohydrate Diet Equals Better Diabetes Control
#2 American College of Physicians Misses A1C Target
#3 Four New Drugs Waiting for Approval That Can Change the Diabetes Landscape (Part 1)

I am sitting at my desk and am reading this week’s interview with Dr. George Bakris. He was talking about the best resting heart rate, so I decided to check mine, and it was 61. Earlier today, I got a ride in between the rains and into the wind. I got up to 168. Is that okay? If you are not sure, click here to find out what the right heart rate is.

Dave Joffe

Editor-in-chief

We know treating and living with diabetes and excess weight or obesity takes a village, a multidisciplinary village, not only related to the patient and health care providers but truly the whole village or world. It also helps to remember the seasons and reasons why we do the things we do. We sometimes forget about how changes in weather, our personal cultures, living environment, even friends and loved ones who seemingly mean well can “sabotage” the greatest intentions.

Dr. George Bakris shares the best resting heart rate in a talk with Diabetes in Control Publisher Steve Freed during the ADA 77th Scientific Session in San Diego.

 In part 2 of this 2-part Homerun Slides series, Finnish vs ADA diabetes risk scores. To download the complete set in PowerPoint format, just use this link: Prediabetes Part 2. Catch up on past Homerun Slides for the Hypertension Update: Prediabetes Part 1.

The dominance of beta-cell functional impairment: As discussed earlier, the available evidence indicates that an average 30% loss of beta-cells is present in the islets of patients with T2DM. However, based on a series of considerations it is unlikely that this beta-cell deficit alone is the cause of most cases of diabetes. First, in vivo assessment of beta-cell function consistently shows a greater than 50% reduction in patients with overt T2DM, a difference that is amplified when using intravenous glucose.

Low carbs equals lower blood sugars and control, with less hypoglycemia, but how low do our patients need to go?

By Stanley S. Schwartz, MD and Mary E Herman, PhD

Despite guidelines, hypoglycemia can largely be avoided without shortchanging tight glucose control.

Two of the four exciting treatment options currently being trialed could change the way the disease is treated long term.