Content about diabetes care

Sales of glucose meters were slightly up over the holidays, reaching $67.7 million for the 12 weeks ended Dec. 30 across U.S. multi-outlets, according to SymphonyIRI Group data.

With a new diabetes diagnosis being made once every 21 seconds, coupled with the coming expansion of Medicaid requirements across at least some states, there will be a significant consumer demand for blood-glucose meters and the test strips that supply them for some time to come.

PHILADELPHIA — While much of the attention to diabetes has focused on the dramatic rise of Type 2 diabetes among adults and children alike, a new study by a researcher in Philadelphia has found a spike in Type 1 diabetes among children as well.

NEW YORK — A nutritional supplement may help ward off gestational diabetes in pregnant women, according to a new study.

The study, conducted by researchers at Italy's University of Messina and published in the journal Diabetes Care, found that pregnant women with family histories of Type 2 diabetes who received myo-inositol saw a significant reduction in the incidence of gestational diabetes, a condition that causes high blood sugar in some pregnant women.

NEW YORK — The owner of an independent pharmacy in New York has won a national award for his diabetes education and counseling efforts.

Ronald Del Gaudio, a graduate of Long Island University's College of Pharmacy, also known as LIU Pharmacy, and the owner of Kings Pharmacy in the Park Slope neighborhood of Brooklyn, has won the Health Mart Diabetes Care Excellence Award from the independent pharmacy franchise company, the university said. Kings Pharmacy, a member of Health Mart, includes two pharmacies in Brooklyn and one in Manhattan.

CHICAGO — The University of Chicago Medicine and Walgreens are teaming up to launch a "Food Rx" initiative that will help people with diabetes improve their eating habits by overcoming two major hurdles when shopping for food: access and affordability, the groups announced Wednesday.

An integrated wellness team approach to diabetes care can help patients not only improve their condition, but also lower their prescription costs, according to new research presented at the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists’ 21st annual Scientific and Clinical Congress in Philadelphia.


McKesson has announced that the complete line of Health Mart private-label over-the-counter healthcare products is now available with the introduction of the final two product categories in the assortment — incontinence and personal diagnostics. The new items will make their debut at McKesson ideaShare 2012, which is slated for June 24 to 28 in Las Vegas’ Venetian Resort Hotel.

STOCKHOLM — A group of industrial chemicals commonly found in cosmetics and plastics may disrupt insulin production, particularly among seniors, according to a study published in Diabetes Care.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — Lifestyle intervention and treatment with metformin provide safe, long-term, cost-effective means of preventing Type 2 diabetes and should be incorporated into prevention strategies for reducing the dramatic rise in incidence of Type 2 diabetes in the United States, according to two new analyses and an editorial published in the April issue of Diabetes Care.

SAN FRANCISCO — Health Mart, a network of more than 2,900 independently owned pharmacies, on Wednesday announced the introduction of Health Mart-branded vitamins and nutritional supplements, the latest addition to its line of private-label, over-the-counter healthcare products.

WHAT IT MEANS AND WHY IT'S IMPORTANT — Lower-limb amputation is a very real risk for many of the 25.8 million Americans living with diabetes. Though this study may be encouraging, the job of reducing the incidence of diabetes — and in particular, educating people about the need to watch their diets, take their medications and take care of their bodies — remains far from complete, as other recent stories in the media have revealed.

MANNHEIM, Germany — Roche on Wednesday announced it has received clearance from the Food and Drug Administration for its Accu-Chek Nano SmartView blood-glucose monitoring system. The meter is smaller than a standard credit card, employs a large backlit display and does not require any manual coding or code key for enhanced ease of use, the company stated. It also offers improved functions such as customizable test reminders, pre- and postmeal markers and average glucose calculation.