title: Screening and treatment by the primary care provider of common diabetes complications.
abstract: Diabetes is the leading cause of end-stage renal disease, blindness, and nontraumatic lower-limb amputation. The largest reductions in cardiovascular events are seen when multiple risk factors are addressed simultaneously. The benefit of aspirin as secondary prevention in patients with previous stroke or myocardial infarction has been well established. Regular, dilated eye examinations are effective in detecting sight-threatening diabetic retinopathy and have been shown to prevent blindness. The use of appropriate tools and clinical examination/inspection provides greater than 87% specificity in detecting diabetic peripheral neuropathy. Early treatment of risk factors, including hypertension, hyperglycemia, and dyslipidemia can delay or prevent diabetic nephropathy.
authors.affiliation: Division of Endocrinology and Diabetes, Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, The University of Vermont, 62 Tilley Drive, South Burlington, VT 05403, USA. Electronic address: matthew.gilbert@vtmednet.org.
authors.forename: Matthew P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Gilbert
mesh_terms: D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001766:Blindness / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D048909:Diabetes Complications / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D050171:Dyslipidemias / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy; D042241:Early Diagnosis; D061345:Early Medical Intervention; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods / Q000458:organization & administration; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000379:methods; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents
keywords: Cardiovascular disease; Diabetic nephropathy; Diabetic peripheral neuropathy; Diabetic retinopathy; Macrovascular complications; Microvascular complications