Revised guidelines announced to reduce the risk of heart disease in adults with type 2 diabetes

The American Diabetes Association and the American Heart Association have collaborated on a revised set of guidelines aimed at reducing the risk of heart disease in patients with type 2 diabetes.
The guidelines, which were first published in 1999 and last revised eight years ago, is updated based on information from recent clinical trials. Many of the trials have made significant breakthroughs in reducing the risk of heart disease in adults with type 2 diabetes.
“Given the changes in the diabetes mellitus landscape over the past five years, the purpose of this scientific statement is to summarise key clinical trials pertaining to lifestyle, blood glucose, blood pressure and cholesterol management for the primary prevention of [cardiovascular disease],” wrote the researchers.
“We have synthesised the established clinical guidelines and clinical targets for the contemporary management of patients with type 2 diabetes to reduce [cardiovascular disease] risk.”
The guidelines include HbA1c diagnostic criteria for both type 2 diabetes and prediabetes, which was first introduced in 2010 as an official recommendatio, and updated advice regarding diet and physical activity.
The authors also identified areas that needed to be studied in greater detail, including blood pressure targets and bariatric (weight loss) surgery.
Treatment of cardiovascular disease has, on the whole, improved in recent years. Mortality in particular is less common than it was. However, the researchers point out that the increased risk of cardiovascular disease associated with type 2 diabetes has failed to improve.
“As a result, considerable work needs to be done to enhance our understanding of how to more effectively prevent [cardiovascular disease] in patients with type 2 diabetes,” wrote the researchers.
The guidelines are published in both Diabetes Care and Circulation.