Diabetes Treatment Review

Treatment Review – dietary educational courses for improving glycemic control in type 1 diabetes

Emily Chu and Martin Gilmour of the Diabetic Hypoglycemia Editorial Team

Diabetic Hypoglycemia February 2013, Volume 5, Issue 3: page 22-24

Abstract

Strict glycemic control helps to delay and prevent the development of long-term diabetes complications but is difficult to achieve without increasing the risk of hypoglycemia. For this reason, people with type 1 diabetes should be given training in the most effective management options for their condition. Structured education programs were developed to empower people with type 1 diabetes to maintain their glycemic targets safely while on a flexible diet and lifestyle. In the short-term, they have been shown to improve glycemic control while reducing severe hypoglycemia, and improve quality of life, treatment satisfaction and patient empowerment. The effectiveness of structured education programs suggests that they should be considered in the treatment plan of all people with type 1 diabetes.

Key words: diabetes structured education, type 1 diabetes, glycemic control, hypoglycemia, severe hypoglycemia