Preventive Cardiology

Diabetes Screening
 

• Screening for Type 2 diabetes mellitus should follow the American Diabetes Association recommendations.
• Obtain a fasting glucose every 2 years in patients ≥ 10 years with BMI ≥ 85^th%tile AND 2 additional risk factors (family history T2DM, high risk race/ethnicity, signs of insulin resistance or associated conditions such as PCOS).
• We would add that HgbA1C is now a reasonable alternative for screening, although A1C may be less reflective of glucose homeostasis in certain racial/ethnic minorities and certain hemoglobinopathies.
• All abnormal values should be confirmed before a diagnosis of diabetes is made.