Diabetes has reached epidemic proportions in our country. It is a complex disorder that often times requires multiple medical approaches and lifestyle modifications to properly manage. At Heart Hospital of New Mexico at Lovelace Medical Center, our endocrinologists remain abreast of the latest advancements in diabetes management to give our patients the best course of action and outcomes that favorably affect their health and quality of life.
Did you know?
By 2050, 1 in 3 US adults will have Type 2 diabetes.
With more than 28 million US adults living with Type 2 diabetes today, there are still an estimated 7 million who are not diagnosed.
90% of diabetics will have a vascular event of some kind in their lives (loss of a limb, stroke, or heart attack).
More than two-thirds of diabetic patients will actually die from cardiovascular disease.
However, Type 2 diabetes is preventable and treatable through healthy food choices, an active lifestyle, and weight loss. For some living with diabetes, new treatment options can even eliminate their Type 2 diabetes.
What is on the horizon?
While the diabetes epidemic continues to grow, there is good news on the horizon for treatment and medication available. Today, there are 11 classes of medications often 
used in various combinations to achieve the best results with fewer side effects. However, new medications are on the horizon, some of which are extremely effective and simplified to prescribe and use. Ultra long acting insulin will have an impact on diabetes management in the near future. Further, GLP-1 agents have added a new dimension of achieving weight loss while attaining improved diabetic control. Several new medications are in trials now, and may reach the marketplace within the next 5 years.
More diabetic patients may be seeking treatment through bariatric surgery, or weight loss surgery, after the findings of the Stampede trial presented earlier this year in the New England Journal of Medicine. Obese patients with uncontrolled Type 2 diabetes received either bariatric surgery or medication therapy alone. Of the patients who received bariatric surgery, 92% were able to achieve glycemic control within 12 months and discontinue insulin.