International Diabetes Group Launches Recommendations
“Control to Goal” - a new integrated diabetes education and support initiative for healthcare professionals have been launched by the Global Partnership for Effective Diabetes Management. The partnership is a taskforce of internationally respected diabetes experts from leading institutions and diabetes organizations.
The initiative aims to address the over 60 percent of people with Type 2 diabetes who have glucose (blood sugar) levels above recommended target putting them at increased risk for serious complications such as cardiovascular disease – the leading cause of diabetes related death.
The “Control to Goal” initiative will address the gaps between treatment guidelines and clinical practice. Importantly, this unique initiative will support healthcare professionals in getting more patients to recommended treatment goals thereby improving clinical outcomes.
Despite the fact that poor glucose control among people with Type 2 diabetes is associated with serious consequences such as heart disease, kidney problems and blindness, over 60 percent of diabetes patients were not at recommended treatment goals (HbA1C levels of less than 7 percent) according to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES 1999 to 2000). In a parallel study, intervention with intensive diabetes therapy reduced the risk of diabetic complications by 50 percent compared with conventional treatment in 160 Type 2 diabetes subjects.
However in latter study, 71% of subjects achieved treatment targets for total cholesterol and 51% reached targets for systolic blood pressure, however only 16% achieved recommended glucose treatment goals of less than 6.5% HbA1C. This study highlights the gap between guidelines and clinical practice as well as the need for better management strategies to get more patients to within glucose goals.
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