Type 1 Diabetes Guidelines Released

The National Evidence-Based Clinical Care Guidelines for Type 1 Diabetes for Children, Adolescents and Adults has been developed by the Australasian Paediatric Endocrine Group and the Australian Diabetes Society.

This guideline is an update of the NHMRC approved Clinical practice guidelines: Type 1 diabetes in children and adolescents (2005). This scope of the guideline has been extended to address the needs of adult and the transition period from adolescence to adulthood, including pregnancy. This is the forst Australian evidence-based guidelines for type 1 diabetes that addresses clinical care across a whole lifespan.

They say it is essential that the GP is central to the care coordination and screens for diabetes complications, and immediately refers the person to a diabetes specific service if a patient has abnormal findings on the annual diabetes complicayion screen. Other reasons for the referral include HbA1c above 9% on two or more occasions in a year, continued and significant weight loss and BMI below 18 or above 25.

The Guidelines can be downloaded from the NHMRC website, http://www.nhmrc.gov.au/guidelines/publications/ext004