2007 Objectives

POSITION: Since our first Annual Symposium in 1972, we have been advocating that hyperglycemia is the major risk factor for the development of microvascular, macrovascular, and neurological complications. We stressed the importance of blood sugar control and cardiovascular risk factor control that was achievable with our resources. The escalating high cost of direct and indirect diabetes management of diabetic complications is because of the failure to make the diagnosis early and control blood sugars and cardiovascular risk factors. The therapeutic approach we recommend includes normalization of blood sugar, lipids, blood pressure, body weight, cessation of cigarette smoking and curtailment of alcohol.
We have the personnel, tools and resources to achieve our goal. This can be accomplished through continuous patient and physician education, proper diabetic meal plan, blood sugar monitoring, increased physical activity and if needed oral hypoglycemic agents and/or insulin or GLP-1 analogues. The blood sugar treatment goal for all diabetics is a Hemoglobin A1C of 6% or less plasma sugar.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this continuing education activity is to present current management and clinical research results by experts in the field of diabetes, endocrine disease, and cardiovascular disease.

OBJECTIVES: The intended result of this activity is to provide increased knowledge of diabetes, endocrinology and vascular disease. At the conclusion of the program, participants will be able to:

• Recommend strategies to delay and/or prevent diabetic complications and cardiovascular disease.
• Discuss the association between diabetes and cardiovascular renal disease.
• Be knowledgeable of the effects of PPARa and PPARy on lipids, inflammation and atherosclerosis.
• Identify and treat hypertension in high risk populations to prevent complications.
• Understand the instructions for using insulin and other injectable therapies for diabetes control.
• Explain the anti-inflammatory effect of insulin and pro-inflammatory effect of glucose and why it neeeds to be controlled.
• Understand the role of inflammation in atherosclerotic disease.
• Evaluate the current guidelines for pharmacologic management of diabetic dyslipidemia.
• List the factors involved in the pathophysiology of obesity, diabetes mellitus and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
• Define the metabolic syndrome and recommended treatment.
• Design a safe and sustainable physical activity program for themselves and their patients.
• Explain the immunological factors and identify the immunological route leading to the destruction of beta cells in type 1 and type 2 diabetes.
• Understand why diabetes mellitus is a serious problem leading to human, financial and societal costs.
• Identify the cause of strokes and methods of treatment to prevent this catastrophe.
• Explain the importance of aggressive management of diabetic neuropathy to prevent amputations.
• Discuss the role of the islet Renin-Angiotensin-Aldosterone System and Oxidative Stress in type 2 diabetes.