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Prevention of type 2 diabetes
1Department of Medicine, University of Miami School of Medicine, Florida, USA. rgoldbel@mednet.med.miami.edu
The Medical Clinics of North America
|August 26, 1998
Summary
Early intervention in prediabetes may prevent type 2 diabetes and its complications. Lifestyle changes or medication targeting insulin resistance or secretion in impaired glucose tolerance could halt disease progression, as investigated in two major trials.
Area of Science:
- Endocrinology
- Metabolic Diseases
- Public Health
Background:
- Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is a leading cause of illness and death due to microvascular and macrovascular issues.
- Current T2D management and complication prevention strategies are challenging to implement and show limited effectiveness in reducing disease impact.
- T2D often follows a lengthy prediabetic phase, suggesting potential for preventing hyperglycemia and associated complications through early interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the potential of early treatment modalities during the prediabetic phase to prevent the onset of type 2 diabetes.
- To assess if interventions targeting impaired glucose tolerance can reduce progression to hyperglycemia and subsequent atherosclerotic complications.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing data on lifestyle modification and pharmacotherapy for improving insulin sensitivity or secretion.
- Initiation of two long-term prospective, controlled trials to test the hypothesis of preventing T2D progression.
Main Results:
- Sufficient evidence suggests that interventions in prediabetes can reduce progression to T2D.
- Two large-scale, long-term prospective trials have been launched to rigorously evaluate these preventive strategies.
Conclusions:
- Early treatment during the prediabetic stage holds promise for preventing type 2 diabetes and its severe complications.
- Further research through ongoing trials is crucial to confirm the efficacy of early interventions in managing glucose metabolism and preventing long-term adverse outcomes.