Prevalence of appropriate management of diabetes mellitus in an academic general medicine clinic

Because diabetes mellitus was not being adequately treated according to guidelines in an academic general medicine clinic, 2 of the authors (W.S.A. and A.H.G.) instituted an educational program to see if we could improve the appropriate management of diabetes mellitus in the academic general medicine clinic. Following this educational program, we investigated the appropriate management of 196 unselected patients with diabetes mellitus, mean age 61 years, who were followed up for at least 1 year in an academic general medicine clinic. The blood pressure was reduced to <130/80 mm Hg in 161 of 196 diabetics (82%). The hemoglobin A1c was reduced to <7.0% in 134 of 196 diabetics (68%). Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers were used to treat 50 of 51 diabetics (98%) with coronary artery disease (CAD), ischemic stroke, or peripheral arterial disease; 33 of 35 diabetics (94%) with a glomerular filtration rate <60 mL/min/1.73 m; 54 of 57 diabetics (94%) with microalbuminuria, and 21 of 22 diabetics (96%) with electrocardiographic left ventricular hypertrophy. Aspirin was used to treat 50 of 51 diabetics (98%) with CAD, ischemic stroke, or peripheral arterial disease. β-Blockers were used to treat 36 of 39 diabetics (92%) with CAD. Statins were used to treat 168 of 196 diabetics (86%). Smoking cessation counseling was documented in 39 of 53 smokers (74%). Of 196 diabetics, 196 (100%) had a neurological examination, 129 (66%) were referred to an ophthalmologist for an eye examination, and 125 (64%) were referred to a podiatrist for foot care. These data show that an educational program on the appropriate management of diabetes mellitus improved the management of diabetes mellitus in an academic general medicine clinic.