LIFESTYLE MODIFICATION FOR DIABETES AND HEART DISEASE PREVENTION

Course overview

TYPE 2 DIABETES MELLITUS AND CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE ARE TWO OF SOME OF THE MOST PREVALENT DISEASES WORLDWIDE. TYPE 2 DIABETES MELLITUS OCCURS WHEN THERE IS A DECREASE IN INSULIN SENSITIVITY, LEADING TO HIGHER AMOUNTS OF GLUCOSE BEING PRESENT IN THE BLOODSTREAM. CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE, OR HEART DISEASE, DEVELOPS OVER TIME AS PLAQUE BUILDS UP WITHIN THE CORONARY ARTERIES, CAUSING A HIGHER LIKELIHOOD OF DEVELOPING MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION IN THE FUTURE. THOUGH BOTH OF THESE CONDITIONS HAVE SPECIFIC DISEASE PROCESSES, DEVELOPING TYPE 2 DIABETES MELLITUS HAS BEEN ASSOCIATED WITH A SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER INCIDENCE OF DEVELOPING CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE. AVOIDING THESE HIGHLY BURDENSOME DISEASE PROCESSES REQUIRES ESTABLISHING METHODS TO PREVENT THE INCIDENCE OF THESE CONDITIONS. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE MANAGEMENT OF BOTH TYPE 2 DIABETES MELLITUS AND CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN PREVENTING THESE CONDITIONS IN PATIENTS WITH HIGHER RISK FACTORS.