Diabetes

In a new study led by scientists at the Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins Medicine researchers say they have determined that low blood sugar, or hypoglycemia, may promote a breakdown of the blood-retinal barrier, an important boundary that regulates the flow of nutrients, waste and water in and out of the retina.

Sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT2i), or gliflozins, are medications used in the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). They are designed to lower high blood glucose levels typical in T2DM, and work by inhibiting the sodium-glucose transport protein 2. SGLT2i have also been shown to improve outcomes among patients with chronic kidney disease, heart failure and coronary artery disease.

Many Medicaid enrollees with type 2 diabetes have restricted access to cardioprotective medications, including sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT2is) and glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs), according to a study published online April 22 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

More than 2.5 billion adults worldwide are overweight or obese. Many develop type 2 diabetes (T2D) and other complications. Bariatric surgery is an effective treatment option for significantly reducing weight and reducing the risk of complications. However, it is still difficult to predict the benefits of bariatric surgery for people without T2D.

The highs and lows of blood glucose aren’t just an energy rollercoaster; they could be a key to detecting diabetes risk early and spare you a needle prick or two.

New research at Lund University shows that the biological parents’ genes affect the child’s insulin function and capacity to regulate blood sugar levels and blood lipids in different ways. Such knowledge may be used to develop preventive treatments that reduce the child’s risk of developing type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

For patients with inadequately controlled type 2 diabetes receiving dulaglutide, switching to tirzepatide is associated with additional hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) reduction and weight loss compared with escalating treatment with dulaglutide, according to a study published online April 4 in the Annals of Internal Medicine to coincide with the Internal Medicine Meeting, the annual meeting of the American College of Physicians, held from April 3 to 5 in New Orleans.

The global burden of diabetic nephropathy increased from 1990 to 2021, and is projected to continue increasing to 2050, according to a study published in Frontiers in Endocrinology.

Diabetes affects more than 1 in 10 adults worldwide and has been accompanied by an increase in vision-threatening diabetic retinal disease (DRD).

Caring for a baby is a full-time job, often causing new mothers to overlook their own health needs. This situation is exemplified by the low compliance with postpartum glucose screening among women who had gestational diabetes—a condition that significantly increases their risk of developing type 2 diabetes later in life.