When you have a chronic illness like type 2 diabetes, it is always wise to keep informed of the latest trends in treatments and new discoveries. Below is a summary of some of the relevant news I picked up from the internet this week. I hope you will find them helpful. This week’s round-up focuses on:
1) Long COVID-19 and how it affects people with diabetes
You may have heard the term “long COVID” used in conjunction with the long-term effects of a COVID-19 infection. These effects may include brain fog, joint pain, and a host of other conditions. Now physicians and scientists are adding diabetes to this list. One study in Germany found that people who had just a mild case of COVID-19 were 28% more likely to have a new diagnosis of diabetes. Here in the United States that number was found to be 40% of those who have had COVID-19. A US-based study found that even people who had low to no risk factors of diabetes could experience a 38% increased risk after COVID. Of course, those who had a severe case of coronavirus suffered an even greater risk , as high as 276%, and among kids it is even higher.
2) Prediabetes and teens
A study published in JAMA Pediatrics found that nearly 30% of adolescents and teens in the United States meet the criteria for prediabetes. Among this number 40% are obese and those who live in poverty are more likely to have diabetes. This figure increased between 2015 -2018 among adolescents 12 to 19 even before COVID-19. Researchers say that parents need to pay more attention to their children’s diet and exercise.
3) Overtreatment of nursing home diabetes patients and the risk of hypoglycemia.
A report from Endocrinology Network states that an analysis of data from more than 7000 patients in Veterans Affairs nursing homes found that i in 5 met the criteria for overtreatment and an additional 23% met the potential for overtreatment. The study was done on older adults 65 years or over with a nursing home stay of 30 days and a mean HbA1C of 7.1. Overtreatment was defined as an HbA1C of 6.5 with insulin use. Potential overtreatment was defined as an HbA1c less than 7.5% with any insulin use or HbA1c less than 6.5% on any glucose-lowering medication other than metformin alone.
In another report published in Medicine Matters, researchers concluded, “While the use of insulin may be appropriate in older adults in certain settings (e.g. reduced renal function, loss of secretory insulin capacity), clinicians need to use it with caution and aim for higher glycemic targets in these settings.”
While these reports may be cause for concern, they are also meant to make you aware of the need to be vigilant about your health and to make those necessary lifestyle changes that can put you on the path to good health. If you need to learn more about how you can improve or preserve your health, why not sign up in the form below?
A diagnosis of type 2 diabetes can send your life into a tailspin. It can leave you feeling alone and overwhelmed, but it doesn’t have to. Join my type 2 diabetes network group and get the help and support you need.
