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The Challenges of Diabetes Care in the Dialysis Unit
Author(s) -
McMurray Stephen D.
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
seminars in dialysis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.899
H-Index - 78
eISSN - 1525-139X
pISSN - 0894-0959
DOI - 10.1046/j.1525-139x.2003.16039.x
Subject(s) - medicine , nephrology , dialysis , diabetes mellitus , intensive care medicine , population , end stage renal disease , disease , endocrinology , environmental health
Nephrologists, dialysis facilities, and payers are confronted with a new and more difficult set of challenges to effectively care for the steadily increasing number of patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) developing end‐stage renal disease (ESRD). U.S. Renal Data System (USRDS) data suggest that the current care of patients with DM on dialysis is suboptimal. Recently published reports have confirmed the value of HbA 1 C measurements in the diabetic dialysis population, that control of blood glucose lowers mortality, and that a program of care management and diabetes education can have a significant impact on patient outcomes. As leader of the nephrology team, the nephrologist should, at a minimum, be accountable for defining who is managing the diabetes. A more systematic and educated approach to DM and its complications needs to be developed by the renal community.