Type 2 Diabetes (T2DM) is the most common form of diabetes — around 90% of people with diabetes have type 2 diabetes.

From the onset of the disease until the symptoms develop, many people with undiagnosed diabetes already have complications such as chronic kidney disease, heart failure, retinopathy and neuropathy. Early detection, diagnosis, and cost-effective treatments can save lives and prevent or significantly delay devastating diabetes-related complications.

In many cases, type 2 diabetes can be prevented by adopting a healthy lifestyle. Much can be done to improve quality of life, increase physical activity, and reduce morbidity and mortality in people living with type 2 diabetes.

The IDF Clinical Practice Recommendations for managing Type 2 Diabetes in Primary Care guidelines seek to summarise current evidence around optimal management of people with type 2 diabetes. It is intended to be a decision support tool for general practitioners, hospital based clinicians and other primary health care clinicians working in diabetes.

The development of these guidelines has been a highly consultative process, evidence- based, incorporating recent advances in diabetes management and emerging treatment opportunities.

A guideline is only valuable and useful when it is implemented in the field for the day-to-day clinical practice. IDF recommends that all clinicians around the world use these recommendations for an optimal management of type 2 diabetes in their settings.

Related articles

• New IDF clinical practice recommendations for managing type 2 diabetes in primary care; Diabetes Voice, July 2017