New Presentation Highlights Importance of In-Hospital Hyperglycemia Management and Appropriate Discharge Planning for Diabetes Patients
The transition from inpatient to outpatient care for patients with diabetes and critical illnesses is featured in a presentation and free downloadable slides on the Diabetes Best Practices website.
Somerville, NJ (PRWEB) September 24, 2009
"Discharge planning for patients with diabetes and critical illnesses should focus on self-care and give them the survival skills necessary to maintain glycemic control," says Dr. Frank Lavernia in a new presentation on the http://www. diabetesbestpractices. com (http://www. diabetesbestpractices. com) Diabetes Best Practices website (http://www. diabetesbestpractices. com (http://www. diabetesbestpractices. com)). Dr. Lavernia's slides are also available for free download on the website.
Treatment Planning for Post-discharge Patients with Diabetes is the title of Dr. Lavernia's presentation and he begins by emphasizing that the prevalence of hyperglycemia in hospitalized patients is high.
"Identifying hyperglycemia in new critically ill inpatients is a medical priority necessary to ensure optimal care and improve outcomes," according to Dr. Lavernia, who then goes on to outline in-hospital treatment options as well as options for discharge and post-hospital care.
Because insulin therapy is often necessary for effective glycemic control, Dr. Lavernia's presentation addresses the problem of patient barriers to initiating insulin therapy. The slides deal with "needle phobia" and other concerns of patients as well as outlining clinician concerns about insulin therapy in the treatment of type 2 diabetes.
"Problems with glycemic control can begin once a patient gets discharged because meals are no longer measured for caloric intake, physical activity may be limited and medications may be missed," points out Dr. Lavernia.
"It is important for the health care provider to understand the treatment history of the patient and the options for care moving forward," Dr. Lavernia concludes. His concluding summary also emphasizes the need to maintain glycemic control in post-discharge patients as it will also lower the risk of cardiovascular disease. However, Dr. Lavernia also cautions clinicians not to be "glucocentric" and to regularly monitor hypertension, lipid levels, and BMI.
Dr. Frank Lavernia practices at the North Broward Diabetes Center, North Broward Medical Center, Pompano Beach, Florida and is the founder of the Diabetes Center, Internal Medicine and Diabetes, Coconut Creek, Florida
The Diabetes Best Practices website is a collaborative project of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ) and Embryon and is supported by an educational grant from sanofi-aventis U. S.
The University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey is the nation's largest health sciences university. UMDNJ-Center for Continuing and Outreach Education (UMDNJ-CCOE) is the university's accrediting unit sponsoring national and international continuing medical education for a wide range of healthcare professionals.
Embryon is a medical communications provider to the pharmaceutical industry.
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