This article is more than 5 years old. Information may no longer be current.
ADA: New standards of care released
Click Here to Manage Email Alerts
The newest revised Standards of Medical Care from the American Diabetes Association recommend a less stringent diastolic blood pressure target for people with diabetes, according to a press release from the association.
Further, moderate or high doses of statins are recommended for all people with diabetes to coincide with recent changes to guidelines for cardiovascular risk management from the American College of Cardiology and American Heart Association.
“The big change here is to recommend starting either moderate or high-intensity statins based on the patient’s risk profile rather than LDL level,” Richard W. Grant, MD, MPH, of the Kaiser Permanente Division of Research, said in the release. “Since all patients with diabetes are at increased risk, it is just a matter of deciding whom to start on moderate versus high-intensity statin doses.”
Richard W. Grant
A moderate-intensity statin is recommended for people with diabetes younger than 40 years, or those aged 40 to 75 with no addition CV risk factors. A high-intensity statin is recommended for all ages of people with CV risk factors as well as those aged 40 to 75 with additional CV risk factors.
“While observational studies find that lower blood pressure generally seems to be better, the higher quality randomized trial evidence most strongly supports the treatment target of 90 mm Hg,” Grant said.
Other feathers of the Standards of Medical Care include the following:
- Lower BMI cut point for screening of Asian Americans with overweight or obesity to 23 kg/m2;
- New section highlighting diabetes during pregnancy;
- <7.5% HbA1c target for children and adolescents with diabetes;
- No support for the use of e-cigarettes;
- Resistance training for all people with diabetes at least twice a week, unless otherwise instructed by their physician;
- And revised CDC immunizations guidelines for adults aged at least 65 years who have not received a pneumococcal vaccine to receive two separate vaccines: 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (Prevnar 13, Pfizer), followed by a dose of the 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (Pneumovax 23, Merck).
“We’ve revised our recommendations, as we do every year, to reflect the best and most current research affecting the treatment and care of people with diabetes,” Jane Chiang, MD, the ADA’s senior vice president for Medical Affairs and Community Information, said in the release. “Health care providers know that the Association Standards contain the most up-to-date information. However, we also wanted to help readers navigate through the information overload, and felt that a new format would enable easier access. Ultimately, our goal is to improve the lives of those who are living with the disease.”
Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.
Click Here to Manage Email Alerts