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Diabetes

New diabetes medicines funded: empagliflozin and dulaglutide

Sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT-2) inhibitors and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists have been recommended... View Article

July 2021

A rising tide of type 2 diabetes in younger people: what can primary care do?

An increasing incidence of early onset type 2 diabetes in New Zealand is putting more people at risk of complications and early... View Article

July 2021

The annual diabetes review: screening, monitoring and managing complications

An annual diabetes review allows for assessment of glycaemic control and earlier detection of, and intervention for, diabetes-related... View Article

July 2021

Initiating insulin for people with type 2 diabetes

Due to its progressive nature, many people with type 2 diabetes will eventually require insulin treatment. In most cases, insulin... View Article

July 2021

Prescribing vildagliptin for type 2 diabetes

With two new medicines, empagliflozin and dulaglutide, available in New Zealand* for the management of type 2 diabetes, the place... View Article

July 2021

Weight loss for the prevention and treatment of type 2 diabetes

Obesity is contributing to the increasing rate of type 2 diabetes in New Zealand, most notably in people aged under 40 years.... View Article

July 2021

Type 2 diabetes management toolbox: from lifestyle to insulin

The management of type 2 diabetes is multi-faceted, including patient education on management of their condition, lifestyle interventions... View Article

July 2021

Prescribing report: A pharmacological profile of patients with type 2 diabetes

This report provides an overview of the clinical characteristics of patients with type 2 diabetes* including sex, age, ethnicity... View Article

August 2019

National report: A pharmacological profile of patients with type 2 diabetes

This report provides an overview of the clinical characteristics of patients with type 2 diabetes* including sex, age, ethnicity... View Article

August 2019

Knowing your patient with type 1 diabetes: the transition to self-management

Living with type 1 diabetes is challenging, particularly as a young adult who is trying to balance the new freedoms of living... View Article

July 2019

Understanding the role of insulin in the management of type 1 diabetes

Insulin treatment is an essential component of type 1 diabetes management. Achieving and maintaining good glycaemic control helps... View Article

July 2019

Slowing progression of renal dysfunction in patients with diabetes

Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is the leading cause of end-stage renal disease in New Zealand. Preventing or delaying the development... View Article

June 2019

Dialling back treatment intensity for older people with type 2 diabetes

Type 2 diabetes management in older people can be complex due to the wide variations in co-morbidities, physical and cognitive... View Article

May 2019

Weight loss: the options and the evidence

The benefits of intentional weight loss in people who are overweight are obvious and undeniable. However, the vast number of diets,... View Article

May 2019

Optimising pharmacological management of HbA1c levels in patients with type 2 diabetes: from metformin to insulin

A variety of subsidised medicines are available to help manage HbA1c levels in patients with type 2 diabetes, all of which can... View Article

May 2019

Vildagliptin: a new treatment for type 2 diabetes

Vildagliptin is a dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitor available fully subsidised from 1 October, 2018. DPP-4 inhibitors have... View Article

September 2018

A rising tide of type 2 diabetes in younger people: what can primary care do?

An increasing incidence of early onset type 2 diabetes in New Zealand is putting more people at risk of early mortality and complications... View Article

May 2018

Managing patients with type 2 diabetes: from lifestyle to insulin

The management of type 2 diabetes is multi-faceted. Following diagnosis, patients require education to self-manage their condition... View Article

December 2015

Annual Diabetes Review

This report uses data from the pharmaceutical collection and laboratory claims collection to provide an update on diabetes monitoring... View Article

August 2015

Monitoring diabetes before, during and after pregnancy

Hyperglycaemia during pregnancy is associated with a range of adverse outcomes which can affect both mother and child, and can... View Article

July 2015

Assessing diabetic peripheral neuropathy in primary care

Diabetic peripheral neuropathy is one of the most common long-term complications of diabetes. It develops in up to half of all... View Article

June 2014

The year that was: Key messages from Best Practice Journal 2013

2013 began with publication of the 50th issue of Best Practice Journal. In this edition we focused on the topic at the heart of... View Article

February 2014

Getting to know patients with type 2 diabetes and poor glycaemic control: One size does not fit all

People with type 2 diabetes and poor glycaemic control (HbA1c > 64 mmol/mol) are at increased risk of developing diabetes-related... View Article

February 2014

Improving glycaemic control in people with type 2 diabetes: Expanding the primary care toolbox

Most people with type 2 diabetes require regular and intensive management to achieve individualised HbA1c targets. Patients should... View Article

June 2013

News updates

Comparing results between different blood glucose meters | Beating the Blues: online cognitive behavioural therapy for mild to... View Article

June 2013

Update: It is now time to change your patient's diabetes meter

ON 1 SEPTEMBER 2012, three new diabetes blood glucose meters were listed on the Pharmaceutical Schedule: CareSens II, CareSens... View Article

February 2013

Which test should I use to diagnose type 2 diabetes?

This report presents how testing for diabetes has changed since the recommendations were published. Patients with diagnosed diabetes... View Article

December 2012

When to use fasting glucose to diagnose people with type II diabetes

Until recently, fasting plasma glucose, and in some situations, oral glucose tolerance testing, have been the investigations of... View Article

December 2012

Initiating interventions in people with intermediate hyperglycaemia ("pre-diabetes")

Intermediate hyperglycaemia is a biochemical state in which a person has glucose levels above the normal range, but does not yet... View Article

November 2012

Care pathways for long-term conditions: Using type 2 diabetes as an example

A care pathway is a tool that enables practitioners to provide better health care and better patient outcomes at a lower cost.... View Article

October 2012

Funding changes to diabetes management products announced

This article has been archived. If you would like access to the original article please contact: [email protected] View Article

September 2012

Monitoring diabetes in people over 75

In the March 2012 issue of Best Tests, bpacnz published an article discussing testing for CVD, diabetes and renal disease in elderly... View Article

July 2012

Upfront: The new face of diabetes care in New Zealand

ON 1 JULY, 2012 the “Get Checked” programme, under which diabetes follow-up care in New Zealand is funded, will be replaced by... View Article

May 2012

Testing for CVD, diabetes and renal disease in elderly people

Consideration of laboratory testing and interpretation of subsequent results should be guided by a patients “drugs, diseases and... View Article

March 2012

The new role of HbA1c in diagnosing type 2 diabetes

A position statement released by the New Zealand Society for the Study of Diabetes (NZSSD) now recommends the use of glycated... View Article

February 2012

Initiating insulin for people with type 2 diabetes

Due to its progressive nature, many people with type 2 diabetes will eventually require insulin treatment. Insulin initiation... View Article

February 2012

PHO Performance Programme - six years on

The PHO Performance Programme was established in 2005 to improve the health of people enrolled in general practices in New Zealand... View Article

December 2011

Diabetes follow-up: what are the PHO Performance Programme indicators and how are they best achieved?

The purpose of the PHO Performance Programme is to improve health and reduce disparities among people using primary healthcare... View Article

October 2011

News in brief: HbA1c reporting and diabetes resources

As of 1 October 2011, laboratories are reporting HbA1c results in millimoles per mole (mmol/mol) only. For the preceding two years,... View Article

October 2011

Diabetes detection: what are the PHO Performance Programme indicators and how are they best achieved?

The purpose of the PHO Performance Programme is to improve health and reduce disparities among people using primary healthcare... View Article

September 2011

Gout: an alarm bell for diabetes and cardiovascular disease

Counties Manukau DHB Māori Gout Action Group have identified five publicly held myths about gout and presented a plan with five... View Article

August 2011

Testing patients with diabetes

Examines HbA1c and albumin/creatinine ratio testing rates for people with diabetes View Article

March 2011

Screening and management of “The Diabetic Foot”

Foot ulceration and damage is one of the most common complications of diabetes and without regular screening and effective management,... View Article

October 2010

Snippets: Insulin glargine & Ezetimibe

This article has been archived. If you would like access to the original article please contact: [email protected] View Article

October 2010

HbA1c targets in people with type 2 diabetes - do they matter?

Maintaining good glycaemic control reduces the risk of microvascular complications of type 2 diabetes and may also reduce the... View Article

August 2010

Screening for diabetic retinopathy in primary care

Sight-threatening retinopathy is a serious complication of diabetes and is largely preventable through regular retinal screening... View Article

August 2010

Snippets: Gabapentin Humalog & Tramadol

Humalog, Tramadol and Gabapentin View Article

June 2010

Upfront: Discussing weight loss in general practice

New Zealanders are getting fatter. That’s a fact. When a problem is getting worse, it is time to reassess the methods we are using... View Article

December 2009

Changes to laboratory reporting of HbA1c

A short article covering changes in HbA1c test reporting from percentages to molar units (mmol/mol). View Article

October 2009

The use of insulin in type 2 diabetes

There is evidence that early use of insulin in people with type 2 diabetes is beneficial. At present insulin is under used in... View Article

April 2009

Metabolic syndrome: useful or not?

Debate about the clinical usefulness of a diagnosis of metabolic syndrome has been ongoing since it was first described. It is... View Article

December 2008

The nutritional management of diabetes

Managing diet is a priority for the health and wellbeing of people with diabetes. Measures such as glycaemic index, glycaemic... View Article

August 2008

Self monitoring of blood glucose: An update

New evidence concludes that self monitoring of blood glucose for people with non-insulin treated type 2 diabetes is not beneficial.... View Article

June 2008

Cardiovascular disease and diabetes in Māori

Cardiovascular disease and type II diabetes are major causes of hospitalisations and mortality in Māori. There are many things... View Article

May 2008

Self monitoring in diabetes

Self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG) is an important component of diabetes management for some people. But, which people? SMBG... View Article

December 2007