Guidelines Updated for Reducing Hypoglycemia Risk in Diabetes

FRIDAY, Dec. 30, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- Advances in medications and technology should be leveraged to reduce the risk for hypoglycemia for people with diabetes, according to a clinical practice guideline issued by the Endocrine Society and published online Dec. 7 in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.

Anthony L. McCall, M.D., Ph.D., from the University of Virginia Medical School in Charlottesville, and colleagues reviewed and updated the diabetes-specific parts of the 2009 Endocrine Society Clinical Practice Guideline. Systematic reviews were conducted to address 10 clinical questions relating to hypoglycemia among people living with diabetes.

For people with type 1 diabetes, the authors conditionally recommend use of real-time continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) and algorithm-driven insulin pumps. Conditional recommendations also include use of CGM for outpatients with type 2 diabetes at high hypoglycemia risk; use of long-acting and rapid-acting insulin analogs; and initiation of and continuation of CGM for specific inpatient populations at high hypoglycemia risk. For those at high risk for hypoglycemia, structured diabetes education programs are strongly recommended; other strong recommendations include use of glucagon preparations that do not require reconstitution for management of severe outpatient hypoglycemia for adults and children; use of real-time CGM for patients with type 1 diabetes receiving multiple daily injections; and use of inpatient glycemic management programs relying on electronic health record data to decrease hypoglycemia risk.

"People with diabetes, their caregivers, and diabetes specialists will all benefit from our guideline with a better understanding of best practices and interventions," McCall said in a statement.

Several authors disclosed financial ties to the pharmaceutical industry.

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