Treating Hispanic patients for type 2 diabetes mellitus: special considerations

The number of Hispanic people in the United States with diagnosed diabetes mellitus is projected to increase by 107% by 2020. The author presents the case of a 62-year-old obese Hispanic man, with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), diabetic peripheral neuropathy, background retinopathy, and diabetic nephropathy. The patient also had diagnosed hypertension, peripheral vascular disease, and hyperlipidemia. The treatment plan for this patient included the following medications: pioglitazone hydrochloride (a thiazolidinedione, 30 mg/d); irbesartan (an angiotensin receptor blocker, 150 mg/d titrated to 300 mg/d); hydrochlorothiazide (an antikaliuretic agent, 12.5 mg/d); and aspirin (325 mg/d). Sitagliptin phosphate (a dipeptidyl peptidase IV inhibitor, 50 mg/d) was added to the treatment regimen to improve glycemic control. Simvastatin (20 mg/d) and niacin (1 g/d) were used for lipid management. Therapy also included a low-protein diet and walking program. At 6-month follow-up, the patient showed substantial improvement in his glycosylated hemoglobin level, lipid profile, blood pressure, creatinine clearance rate, and urine albumin level. There were also improvements in his peripheral vascular disease and diabetic peripheral neuropathy. Furthermore, the patient demonstrated encouraging progress in diet and lifestyle modification and in mental attitude.