Understanding SGLT2 Inhibitors, One of the Most Promising Classes of Drugs for Type 2 Diabetes
Needham, MA (PRWEB) August 09, 2016 -- Humanity has long relied on a mechanism in the kidneys that stores excess glucose to survive periodic famines. But, as industrialized nations began to overcome starvation, an over-abundance of cheap, sugary foods entered our diets. And that same survival mechanism has now become a health risk for millions who struggle with Type 2 diabetes.
According to the CDC, “86 million U.S. adults have prediabetes, where their blood sugar levels are higher than normal… 15 percent to 30 percent of people with prediabetes will develop type 2 diabetes within five years.” That equates to more than one in three U.S. adults facing an increased risk of serious health problems such as vision loss, heart disease, stroke, kidney failure, amputations and premature death.
However, a relatively new class of oral medications designed to inhibit the kidney’s mechanism that reabsorbs 90% of the body’s excess glucose intake — sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT2) — is showing great promise.
To help improve clinicians’ understanding of SGLT2 inhibitors, Joslin Diabetes Center, an academic affiliate of Harvard Medical School, and DiabetesSeriesLive will host the inaugural session of their new Virtual Symposia Series with a one-hour CME program on SGLT2 inhibitors and their treatment outcomes. The series will continue through 2017 and cover a wide range of diabetes topics including a Fall program on Basal Insulins.
The SGLT2 session will be presented by Nuha El Sayed, MD, Director of International Training Programs at Joslin Diabetes Center along with Richard Beaser, MD of Harvard Medical School.
“Our evolving understanding of the etiology and natural history of type 2 diabetes has brought to light a complex array of contributing factors, thus expanding the number of potential pharmacotherapeutic targets. One such factor is the renal enzyme SGLT2, which is involved in glucose reabsorption. Inhibiting this enzyme can be an effective treatment for the hyperglycemia of type 2 diabetes,” says Richard Beaser, MD. “This important CME session will help clinicians identify the benefits and risks of SGLT2 inhibitors, and enhance their skills in using them, when indicated, to achieve therapeutic goals.”
In accreditation partnership with the Primary Care Network, the online CME session will take place August 10, 11 am – Noon EST at DiabetesSeriesLive.com, a medical education website from PlatformQ Health.
“DiabetesSeriesLive offers an effective way for clinicians who see people suffering from diabetes every day to stay current on advances in care without leaving their office,” says Platform Q Health CEO Robert Rosenbloom. “After much discussion with our medical advisors, we feel that a thorough understanding of SGLT2 inhibitors is vital for effectively treating type 2 diabetes.”
There is no cost to register or watch any educational session on DiabetesSeriesLive. Live session attendance is encouraged, so clinicians can take advantage of interactive capabilities like submitting questions for live responses and interactive polling. The program will also be available on demand after the live event.
Endocrinologist, hospitalists, internists, primary care clinicians, nurses and others treating type 2 diabetes can register here.
Megan Cater, DiabetesSeriesLive, http://www.diabetesserieslive.com/, +1 (617) 938-6031, [email protected]
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