title: Diabetic management in high risk patients (pregnancy, insulin pumps).
abstract: During the past decades our understanding about the clinical impact of diabetes has changed. We now know for certain that a good (read : near normal) glycemic control is necessary to prevent chronic complications of this disease in women regardless of the type of diabetes. Pregnancy is a specific situation whereby a "near normal" control is wanted not only for the patient but also for the fetus. Several studies have shown a correlation beween glycemic control and complications of pregnancy. Reaching optimal glycemic control is mandatory even before the pregnancy starts, considering the time window of occurance of the severe foetal congenital malformations (first weeks of pregnancy). The role of pre-conception care is emphasized. Optimal control in type 1 and type 2 diabetic patients can best be reached through intensive insulin therapy, but reaching normoglycemia is mainly limited by the occurence of hypoglycemia. The introduction of the new insulin analogues is an important step in our arsenal to achieve control using multiple daily insulin injections, but Novorapid and Lantus have not yet been approved for use in pregnancy. Insulin pumps are often used in pregnant patients, allowing an even better glycemic control with less hypoglycemia. An absolute requirement for CSII therapy to be successful is patient education and motivation by an experienced team.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory and Clinic of Experimental Medicine and Endocrinology, Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Vanhaverbeke
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mertens
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mathieu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D047109:Fetal Development / Q000187:drug effects; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007332:Insulin Infusion Systems; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D018566:Pregnancy, High-Risk; D011295:Prenatal Care / Q000379:methods; D018570:Risk Assessment; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D007328:Insulin