Relative frequency of cardiology vs. endocrinology visits by type 2 diabetes patients with cardiovascular disease in the USA: implications for implementing evidence-based use of glucose-lowering medications.

Cardiovascular Endocrinology & Metabolism
Felona GunawanSilvio E Inzucchi

Abstract

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in type 2 diabetes (T2D) patients. Recent cardiovascular outcome trials demonstrated clear cardiovascular benefits of novel classes of glucose-lowering agents. We performed retrospective electronic health record review at two major healthcare systems in the USA to determine the relative frequencies of outpatient encounters (hence prescribing opportunities) that a patient with T2D and CVD had with a cardiologist vs. an endocrinologist over one-year period. Of 109 747 T2D patients, 42.6% had established CVD. The ratio of cardiology-to-endocrinology outpatient encounters was 2.0:1 for all T2D patients, and 4.1:1 for those with T2D and CVD. Because each outpatient encounter provides an opportunity to discuss glucose-lowering medications with cardiovascular benefits, the much greater frequency of cardiology encounters highlights the emerging potential for cardiovascular specialists to influence or even implement evidence-based glucose-lowering therapies, thereby improving cardiovascular outcomes in their T2D patients.

References

Sep 18, 2015·The New England Journal of Medicine·Bernard ZinmanUNKNOWN EMPA-REG OUTCOME Investigators
Jun 14, 2016·The New England Journal of Medicine·Steven P MarsoUNKNOWN LEADER Trial Investigators
Sep 17, 2016·The New England Journal of Medicine·Steven P MarsoUNKNOWN SUSTAIN-6 Investigators
Jun 13, 2017·The New England Journal of Medicine·Bruce NealUNKNOWN CANVAS Program Collaborative Group
Nov 10, 2018·Journal of the American College of Cardiology·Muthiah VaduganathanDeepak L Bhatt
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Dec 19, 2018·Diabetes Care·UNKNOWN American Diabetes Association
Mar 16, 2019·The American Journal of Medicine·Robert H Eckel, Michael J Blaha

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Citations

Aug 18, 2020·Cardiovascular Endocrinology & Metabolism·Andrew J Krentz, Stephan Jacob
Jun 4, 2021·Current Cardiology Reports·Ben Alencherry, Dennis Bruemmer

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