Editorial
Steven V. Edelman, MD, and Derek LeRoith, MD, PhD
Diabetes mellitus (DM) is reaching epidemic proportions worldwide. Approximately 5% of the world’s population, or an estimated 194 million people, have DM, and it is the fifth leading cause of death in the United States.
Furthermore, the prevalence of both type 1 and type 2 DM has seen dramatic increases globally, especially in developing countries. Both awareness of the disease and the severity of its complications—as well as the availability of a larger armamentarium of agents to aggressively treat it—have made an impact on the metabolic control in patients with DM who have access to proper health care. However, the goal of reducing glycosylated hemoglobin levels to 7.0 has only been reached in a minority of patients.
Although insulin is the core therapy for treatment of type 1 DM, it is also used alone or to supplement oral agents in the treatment of type 2 DM. Study results strongly suggest that improved metabolic control may be achieved by using insulin earlier and more judiciously in these patients with type 2 DM whose disease does not improve using oral agents.
In launching this new journal, Insulin, we, the Editors-in-Chief—as well as the Editorial Board—believe that we can provide the health care professional with the latest information on various aspects of DM, practical insulin therapy, and other important issues about the causes and prevention of complications of DM. We will endeavor to discuss these and other aspects of the disease, with the goal of keeping the practices of DM management care teams up-to-date.
In this first issue, we have recruited articles by experts on topics such as hypertension in the patient with type 2 DM, guidelines for glycemic control, the benefits of early initiation of insulin therapy, and how to overcome the psychological barriers to insulin use. Another important aspect of the journal is that each issue will contain special features such as the Patient Handout (the first one discusses injecting insulin) and an interactive Case Study that reinforces the information presented in the articles.
We truly believe that Insulin will be a practical journal that will help all professionals take better care of their patients who have DM, not only by achieving improved glycemic control but also by enhancing patients’ quality of life. |
