T2DM patients can target remission, says updated diabetes handbook
The revised handbook also encourages GP screening of at-risk children.
Type 2 diabetes treatments, such as low-calorie diets and bariatric surgery, can lead to remission for some patients, says new guidance from the RACGP and Diabetes Australia.
Last week’s update to Management of type 2 diabetes: A handbook for general practice defines remission as HbA1c of less than 6.5%, maintained for at least three months without glucose-lowering medication.
For these patients, it recommends HbA1c testing every six months to watch for relapse.
The handbook urges doctors to inform patients “about the potential for remission as a goal of treatment at the time of diagnosis and in the first few years following diagnosis”.
