Diabetes Discourse

Many patients do not test blood glucose levels as often as they should, due to pain associated with the finger stick, as well as the need for an excess of testing paraphernalia. This week's guest discusses a potential non-invasive test on the horizon that would use tears to measure glucose levels. Dr. Jeffrey La Belle, biomedical engineering research professor in the School of Biological and Health Systems Engineering in Arizona State University's Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering and the Biodesign Institute, discusses promising new research in testing that may improve effectiveness and compliance with measuring blood glucose.

The percentage of healthcare spending on chronic illnesses is increasing exponentially; critically for patients with diabetes. How can healthcare providers help their aging population to manage their diabetes and avoid costly hospital stays through home care management? Join host Dr. Steven Edelman and his guest, professor of medicine at the New York University School of Medicine, Dr. Eric Rackow, as they discuss new approaches for home care management strategies for patients living diabetes.

The management of diabetes is an ongoing challenge for both the healthcare provider and patient in terms of balancing insulin regimens, glucose monitoring, diet and exercise. How does the diabetes educator help to "win the race" for a patient with diabetes? Join host Dr. Steven Edelman and his guest, interventional pain management physician and winner of the Amazing Race, Dr. Natalie Strand, as they discuss the integral role of the diabetes educator in the management of diabetes.

In 2004 the American Diabetes Association working group defined the threshold of hypoglycemia as 70 mg/dl. The clinical definition continues to attract controversy with a standard vs. dynamic solution. What are considerations that need to be made in terms of the clinical definition of hypoglycemia? Join host Dr. Steven Edelman and his guest, professor of clinical diabetes at the University of Sheffield, Dr. Simon Heller, as they discuss the challenge with the current threshold of hypoglycemia.

A push away from the "one size fits all" approach to diabetes care, including subgroup analyses, patient preference, genetic factors and electronic records, is changing the way healthcare providers are caring for their patients. How do healthcare providers reflect these changes in their practices? Join host Dr. Steven Edelman and his guest, clinician of family medicine and senior investigator for HealthPartners, Dr. Patrick O'Connor, as they discuss a personalized approach to diabetes management.

The challenges of treating diabetes include long-term monitoring and management, lifestyle change and adherence to medication. How are digital technology and genomics shaping the management of diabetes? Join guest host Dr. Timothy Bailey and his guest Dr. Eric Topol, director of the Scripps Translational Science Institute, as they discuss how digital technologies can improve glucose monitoring and genomics is leading to individualized treatment. Dr. Topol, who does not have diabetes, describes his personal experience living with continuous glucose monitoring for one week.

Dr. Eric Topol has disclosed that he has received grants for clinical research from sanofi-avenitis. Dr. Topol has also disclosed that he has served as an advisor or consultant to sanofi-aventis and Daiichi Sankyo.

Experimental approaches, including the suppression of certain immune cells to speed difficult wounds, may lead healthcare professionals to advances in the treatment of diabetic wounds. What are the therapeutic strategies and implications for our patients with diabetes? Join guest host Dr. Timothy Bailey and his guest, director of research at the Burn & Shock Trauma Institute at Loyola University Medical Center, Dr. Elizabeth Kovacs, as they discuss the latest research in suppressing certain immune cells to speed healing of slow-to-heal wounds.

Treatment regimens for diabetes and obesity are merging. Healthcare professionals are taking a new view to the management of diabetes including rearranging diabetes medication regimens from a glucose control and weight-neutral perspective. What do healthcare professionals need to know to help their patients manage their diabetes? Join host Dr. Steven Edelman and his guest, clinical professor of medicine at Cornell Medical College, Dr. Louis Aronne, as they discuss considerations of drug therapies as weight neutral for treating their patients with type 2 diabetes.

Patients living with type 1 diabetes who are involved in athletics present particular challenges to approaching to their management, medication regimen and nutrition. How can healthcare professionals help their type 1 athletes optimize their performance and manage their diabetes? Join host Dr. Steven Edelman and his guest, director of research at TeamType1, Dr. Juan Frias, as they discuss restrictions, research, monitoring and adjusting insulin therapy for endurance type 1 athletes.

A majority of type 2 patients do not understand the benefits of structured self-monitoring of blood glucose and healthcare professionals lack the time to explain the values and the time to review the values themselves. What is the benefit of structured self-monitoring of blood glucose in patients with type 2 diabetes? Join guest host Dr. Timothy Bailey and his guest, founder of the Behavioral Diabetes Institute, Dr. William Polonsky, as they discuss the challenges and barriers for both healthcare professionals and patients with structured self-monitoring of blood glucose.