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College of Pharmacy

HelixTalk #179 - Annual Dose of Sweetness: 2024 Updates from the American Diabetes Association Guidelines

Date posted: March 5, 2024, 6:00 am

In this recurring episode, we discuss the important updates from the 2024 American Diabetes Association Guidelines!

Key Concepts

  1. Tirzepatide is now recommended as one of the weight loss pharmacotherapy options along with semaglutide in patients with diabetes. The language for its use in comparison to insulin therapy has been updated similar to GLP-1RAs.
  2. The new hypoglycemia section in chapter 6 now houses all recommendations regarding screening, education, prevention, and treatment of hypoglycemia. The recommendation for prescribing glucagon has been clarified - regardless of type of diabetes, it is recommended that glucagon be prescribed to all patients using insulin or those who are at high risk with proper education of family members or caregivers. 
  3. Teplizumab, a monoclonal antibody against CD30, is available for preventing progression of stage 2 type 1 diabetes to stage 3 type 1 diabetes. Guidelines have updated screening criteria for staging type 1 diabetes and recommends use of teplizumab in these patients.  
  4. Other updates revolve around emphasis of using diabetes technology such as CGMs and AID for appropriate patients, clarified or strengthened screening recommendations for type 1 staging, peripheral arterial disease, bone mass density, etc., and emphasis on weight management alongside meeting glycemic goals.

References