A year's experience in a clinic for obese diabetics.
The problem of obesity is not well dealt with in the ordinary diabetes clinic. We therefore started a clinic for obese diabetics, the principles of which are mentioned. We reviewed the results of its ifrst year's activity in relation to 80 patients who attended for at least 3 months, and found: (i) a very frequent family history of diabetes in first-degree relatives (59% among Coloured patients); (ii) very commonly, an abnormal ECG, suggestive of ischaemic heart disease (about 60%); (iii) very frequent serum lipid abnormalities, yet no correlation between high lipid levels and an abnormal ECT; (iv) a mean loss of 5,9 kg over 8,6 months for the 80 patients (mean loss of 10,4 kg by the 8 men); (v) patients who had been fat in childhood actually lost more weight than did those who became overweight only in adult life; and (vi) oral hypoglycaemic drugs and even insulin could frequently be discontinued. We believe the clinic is worthwhile.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001835:Body Weight; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000150:complications; D048909:Diabetes Complications; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000235:genetics / Q000628:therapy*; D004038:Diet, Reducing; D005260:Female; D005277:Fenfluramine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D006949:Hyperlipidemias / Q000150:complications; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity; D010044:Outpatient Clinics, Hospital; D013019:South Africa
D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D005277:Fenfluramine