Primary care physicians are expected to be experts on dozens of different disease states despite the fact that each medical problem continues to evolve, with new understanding of the disease itself and its treatments.
Several guidelines emphasize the need to use existing therapeutic options to help patients and providers achieve various treatment goals, including target glycated hemoglobin levels to improve microvascular outcomes among patients with type 2 diabetes.
A hot topic in the type 2 diabetes world is whether we have in hand the tools to stop the decline in beta cell function that typifies this disease and, consequently, a therapy or therapies that successfully control blood glucose for many years – so-called treatment durability.
Fatty liver disease is the most common cause of chronic liver disease in North America[1] and is becoming one of the top reasons for liver transplantation. Fatty liver causes inflammation that can lead to fibrosis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma.
Evidence that protecting pancreatic beta cells from chronic overstimulation to maintain glucose homeostasis has led to the concept of “beta cell rest” to preserve or restore beta cell function by temporarily inhibiting insulin secretion.
Do you recognize this patient? I have seen him in my office, or a person just like him. The Center for Disease Control (CDC, HHS) estimates that 57 million people in the U.S. have pre-diabetes.
