Presenting new epidemiological and diabetes-related impact data.
Presenting new epidemiological and diabetes-related impact data.
There is now extensive evidence on the optimal management of diabetes, offering the opportunity of improving the immediate and long-term quality of life of those living with the condition. Unfortunately such optimal management is not reaching many, perhaps the majority, of the people who could benefit. Reasons include the size and complexity of the evidence-base, and the complexity of diabetes care itself. One result is a lack of proven cost-effective resources for diabetes care. Another result is diversity of standards of clinical practice. Guidelines are part of the process which seeks to address those problems. IDF has produced a series of guidelines on different aspects of diabetes management, prevention and care.
The Guideline for Managing Older People with Type 2 Diabetes was considered a necessary development following the launch of the IDF 2012 Global Guideline for Type 2 Diabetes. In the latter, recommendations for managing diabetes in older people were included for the first time by the IDF but the review group felt that there were many areas where specific advice was still needed and indeed would offer the clinician extra value in decision making. It was also felt that the format of recommendation in the 2012 Guideline did not offer the flexibility required to address the special issues of older people and their varied physical, cognitive, and social needs.