Diabetes Newsletter
Needs and Objectives

Educational Needs
This program seeks to provide physicians with the latest and most important information presented at recent scientific meetings. Unfortunately, despite the valuable information that can be gained at these conferences, the majority of practicing physicians are unable to attend them. And, given the size and scope of these meetings, attendees often miss data presentations of interest to them. Therefore, programs designed to disseminate information from these meetings on a timely basis to physicians who either cannot attend the conference or who miss some of the presentations fulfill an educational need that would otherwise not be met.

Learning Objectives
At the conclusion of this program, the participant should be able to:

• Explain the pathogenesis of Type 2 diabetes, especially the coexisting roles of insulin resistance and insulin secretion.
• Describe the evolving cellular mechanisms associated with beta cell failure, the progression of diabetes, and its complications.
• Implement strategies for the early diagnosis and treatment of diabetes.
• Recognize the clinical manifestations of the macrovascular and microvascular complications of diabetes and describe appropriate therapeutic interventions.
• Recognize the interrelationship between insulin resistance, hyperglycemia, and atherosclerosis in patients with Type 2 diabetes.
• Compare the mechanisms of actions of the various pharmacologic agents for the treatment of diabetes, their risks and benefits, and their proper role in the management of this disease.
• Identify evolving and emerging management strategies for diabetes (e.g., combination therapies, new insulin delivery systems, new glucose monitoring techniques, novel drugs.)
• Describe the approach to managing dyslipidemia, hypertension, and cardiovascular risk factors in patients with diabetes.
• Identify unique management issues among special sub-populations of patients with diabetes.
• Discuss the impact of diabetes on the healthcare system.