9th edition – Friday, July 18, 2014

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

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NICE propose more weight loss surgery to tackle Type 2 diabetes

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Living with Diabetes Survey

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Back to Basics – Ninjabetic

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Novo Nordisk's Insulin Degludec/Liraglutide set to become gold standard

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The Servant God – Dr Partha Kar’s latest blog post

How many times have you heard that one? The old stereotype built in by years of media, bluster and self-aggrandisation...the 'all-powerful' doctor who knew it all, blew everyone away with their knowledge, their skills, their arrogance...whisper it softly perhaps even god like in their ability and demeanour...healers weren't they? They told the patients what to do...and they did. They told the nurses what to do...and it happened. A paternalistic model doesn't develop overnight, does it?

But then times changed...the world changed...patients, quite rightly, found their voice, became more inquisitive about their care, tried to know more about why their care may have faltered…and then found their gods, self-styled or otherwise, wanting. And as sure as what happens when you see your hero or deity slip, obeisance changed to disappointment, disappointment then moved to anger. How dare they? How dare they fail their duties? The disappointment in seeing these God-like creatures be fallible, be prone to the same errors as others, with the same foibles hurt...the angst was palpable.

To read more, click here.

JDRF appoints new fundraising chief

JDRF's new UK Director of Fundraising is looking forward to "playing my part" in helping to find a cure for Type 1 diabetes.

Dean Benton joined the Type 1 charity this week from the RAF Benevolent Fund, where he had been Director of Marketing and Communications for eight years. Before that, he worked as Director of External Affairs for Action for Children.

To read more, click here.

NICE propose more weight loss surgery to tackle Type 2 diabetes

The National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is proposing more weight loss surgery in England to tackle Type 2 diabetes.

The health watchdog is proposing to lower the threshold for bariatric surgery for people with newly-diagnosed Type 2 diabetes to a BMI of 30. Until now, it has said that people with Type 2 diabetes could be considered for a gastric band at a BMI of 35.

The move could see an extra 850,000 people eligible for surgery, according to Diabetes UK. Being overweight is a risk factor in the development of Type 2 diabetes.

To read more, click here.

Living with Diabetes Survey

A diabetes charity is urging people with the condition to complete a food-themed survey to help inform future campaigning work.

The InDependent Diabetes Trust has launched its Living with Diabetes Survey 2014, with the short questionnaire covering food and diet as well as other key aspects.

It comes on the back of the trust’s recently launched and successful book Diabetes – Food, Meds and More.

To read more, click here.

Back to Basics – Ninjabetic

The 15 healthcare essentials… a check list for all patients with diabetes (devised by Diabetes UK) to show them what they should expect, in terms of basic care, from the HCPs (health care professionals) they see.

How many of these do patients get? Obviously not everyone will need all 15 (which makes fitting them in a little easier), but how many of us patients get everything we need once a year? Personally, I need 12 of the 15 and in the last year I’ve had 6.5 of these (I gave 1/2 a point as I get emotional support, but it’s not psychological), from my diabetes specialist team.

To read more, click here.

Novo Nordisk's Insulin Degludec/Liraglutide set to become gold standard

Novo Nordisk's degludec/liraglutide (Xultophy, formerly known as IDegLira) is set to become the clinical gold standard among fixed-dose combination (FDC) therapy insulin used to treat people with Type 2 diabetes, according to a leading health analysis group.

The competitive advantages that this long-acting insulin analogue/glucagon-like peptide (GLP)-1 receptor agonist FDC has over other FDCs are due to the combined actions of the highly efficacious individual components on various measures of glycaemic control, according to a new report from Decision Resources Group.

To read more, click here.

DIABETES DIGEST

Large blood sugar swings could harm heart in Type 1 diabetes

A wider variance in blood glucose results may lead to increased risk of heart problems in people with Type 1 diabetes, a study has found.

Wide swings in blood glucose levels resulting in hypoglycemia puts stress on the heart and may lead to an increased risk of cardiac complications later in life, according to research by the University of Michigan.

Researchers found the increased risk associated with swings in blood sugar existed independently of HbA1c levels – higher HbA1c readings are associated with greater risk of heart disease as well.

To read more, click here.

More than 700 people a day diagnosed with diabetes

More than 700 people a day are diagnosed with diabetes in the UK, according to new analysis by Diabetes UK and Tesco.

The analysis, based on National Diabetes Audit data, shows that 738 people a day are diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, which has being overweight as the biggest risk factor.

A further 30 people per day are diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes, which tends to affect younger people and is not linked to weight. Type 2 diabetes now accounts for 96 per cent of new cases of diabetes.

To read more, click here.

More than 30 sites submit data for DKA audit

More than 30 hospitals have already submitted data for the first National Audit of DKA Management.

The study is assessing how diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) is managed in the UK. Diabetes hospital teams are being invited to take part to gain an insight into care of the life-threatening condition.

Organiser Dr Ketan Dhatariya said: “Every team to have contacted us so far has shown lots of enthusiasm.”

To read more, click here.

One in five recently diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes have it under control

Only a fifth of people diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes during the last four years have their condition under control, according to a new analysis by Diabetes UK.

The analysis, based on National Diabetes Audit data, shows that just 22.4 per cent of those who have had Type 2 diabetes for up to four years (thought to be about 1 million people) meet recommended levels for blood glucose, cholesterol and blood pressure.

To read more, click here.