Diabetes

Advertising

Unit 616

October 2024

Diabetes

The purpose of this activity is to provide you with an understanding of the management of different presentations of diabetes, including recent-onset diabetes, and the emerging evidence on the management of a spectrum of diabetes presentations associated with common comorbidities.

Diabetes remains a significant health burden for Australia, with an estimated 1.2 million Australians living with diabetes in 2021.

Age remains a major non-modifiable risk factor, with one in every five people aged 80 years living with diabetes. The figures show the impact on the health system – 11% of hospitalisations in 2020–21 were associated with diabetes, and type 2 diabetes contributed to 2.2% of the total disease burden in Australia in 2023.

In general practice, the impact of diabetes is seen not just in total numbers of attendance, but also in the clustering of associated multimorbidity in people with diabetes. This includes cardiovascular diseases, chronic kidney diseases and diabetes complications such as retinopathy and neuropathy.

In this unit of check, we explore the management of different presentations of diabetes, including recent-onset diabetes, and assess the emerging evidence for the management of a spectrum of diabetes presentations associated with common comorbidities.

Learning outcomes

At the end of this activity, participants will be able to:
  • individualise evidence-based treatment approaches
  • implement strategies for the management of diabetes-related comorbidities
  • use risk assessment tools to tailor interventions for diabetes complications
  • address cardio–metabolic–renal multimorbidity
  • apply the rationale for injectable glucose-lowering medications. 

Case studies

Below is a list of the case studies found in this month's unit of check. To see how these case studies unfold and gain valuable insights into this month's topic, log into gplearning to complete the course. 

Kevin, aged 77 years, was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes 20 years ago and has stage 3b chronic kidney disease. He presents with a poorly healing wound on his right leg that has persisted for over eight weeks.

Heather, an accountant aged 55 years, was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus three years ago. She is married and lives in Sydenham, an inner suburb of Sydney, NSW. She has one child aged 17 years. She currently takes only metformin extended release 2 g daily and ramipril I0 mg daily for hypertension. She attends today for further scripts, but you notice she has not had any pathology results for six months.

Kane, aged 65 years, has had diabetes for 12 years. He had a myocardial infarction five years ago. Kane presents to you for a refill of his scripts and a general check-up. His current medications are metformin 2 g, linagliptin 5 mg, gliclazide 60 mg, rosuvastatin 10 mg and irbesartan 150 mg. He admits that he sometimes omits taking his medications and missed his last appointment with a general practitioner. On further questioning, you discover Kane lives alone, often eats high-fat takeaway meals or frozen ready meals, and is drinking 3–4 beers daily.

Mary, aged 45 years, was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes six months ago, on annual screening. For the past two years, her HbA1c level has been in the pre-diabetes range, and she has noticed increasing weight and reduced exercise tolerance over the same period. She commenced medication on diagnosis and is taking metformin modified release 1000 mg at night. Her HbA1c level is 6.9% (52 mmol/mol). She has read on social media that ‘diabetes remission is a cure’ and asks for your opinion.

Timmy, aged 45 years, has had diabetes since the age of 36 years. He is of South Asian descent (his parents migrated from India) and is married with two children. He works as an accountant. He presents with increasing fatigue and visual difficulties. On questioning, he reveals that he has not worn his spectacles or had an eye check for two years. He struggles with physical activity as he has had some numbness in both feet, which makes him feel unsteady when walking quickly.
 

CPD

This unit of check is approved for 10 hours of CPD activity (two hours per case). The 10 hours, when completed, including the online questions, comprise five hours’ 鲍鱼视频al Activities and five hours’ Reviewing Performance. 
 
鲍鱼视频al
Activities
5
hours
Measuring
Outcomes
0
hours
Reviewing
Performance
5
hours

Complete check online

To enroll in this check unit online: 

  1. Log into  home page
  2. Select 'Browse' and search for 902864
  3. Select the course and register

Please note: If you're not a member of the RACGP or don't have a check subscription, click here.

TOPICS

Advertising