[Recent advances in the management of diabetes mellitus]

The recent epidemic of type 2 diabetes and the recognition that achieving specific glycemic goals can reduce morbidity have made the effective treatment of hyperglycemia a priority. The new therapeutic agents and the development of algorithms for the adjustment of therapy might contribute to an improved management of the disease. Moreover, type 2 diabetes is frequently associated with other co-morbidities (obesity, hypertension, dyslipidaemia, prothrombotic state). The appropriate management of patients with type 2 diabetes requires a global approach targeting each risk factor in order to reduce cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. This challenge represents a major public health issue. In type 1 diabetes patients, intensive therapy such as in the Diabetes Control and Complications Trial (DCCT) has been shown to obtain long-term beneficial effects on the reduction of the risk of progressive retinopathy, neuropathy and nephropathy and of the risk of cardiovascular disease. This benefit reinforces the original DCCT message that intensive therapy should be implemented as early as possible in people with type 1 diabetes. The recent development of new insulin analogues and the technical improvements of portable insulin pumps might contribute to obtain such a better metabolic control.