Management of type 2 diabetes mellitus for general practitioners

Abstract

A 55-year-old Asian man presents with a history of intense thirst, polyuria, blurring of vision and weight loss over a period of several weeks. He is obese with a waist circumference of 110 cm and a body mass index (BMI) of 32 kg/m2. His blood pressure is 170/110 mmHg. Laboratory investigations indicate the following: random blood glucose 13.6 mmol/l, haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) 9.5%, total serum cholesterol 6.8 mmol/l, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol 3.5 mmol/l, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol 0.7 mmol/l, triglycerides 3.2 mmol/l, and serum creatinine normal. His urine shows glycosuria and microalbuminuria. What would be your approach to this patient’s management?

Keywords: type 2 diabetes mellitus, management, general practitioners, lifestyle interventions