Today, the American Diabetes Association® released the 2021 Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes. The 2021 Standards of Care is now live online in Diabetes Care. Based upon the latest scientific diabetes research and clinical trials, the Standards of Care includes new and updated recommendations and guidelines to care for people with diabetes.
The Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes—2021 provides the latest in comprehensive, evidence-based recommendations for the diagnosis and treatment of children and adults with type 1, type 2, or gestational diabetes; strategies for the prevention or delay of type 2 diabetes; and therapeutic approaches that can reduce complications, mitigate cardiovascular and renal risk, and improve health outcomes.
This update presents:
- Evolving evidence for diabetes treatment for people also managing chronic kidney disease and heart failure;
- The use of technology for diabetes management and individualized care as well as recommendations for continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) for people with diabetes based on therapy;
- Important information on addressing social determinants of health in diabetes;
- Barriers to and critical times for diabetes self-management education and support (DSMES);
- Vaccine-specific updates, including those related to COVID-19.
Today, the Standards of Care is available online and is published as a supplement to the January 2021 issue of Diabetes Care.
“The American Diabetes Association is committed to improving the lives of all those affected by diabetes through this publication of the most widely respected guidelines for health professionals,” said Dr. Robert Gabbay, Chief Scientific and Medical Officer at the American Diabetes Association.
Updates to the Standards of Care are established and revised by the ADA's Professional Practice Committee (PPC). The committee is a multidisciplinary team of 16 leading U.S. experts in the field of diabetes care and includes physicians, diabetes care and education specialists, registered dietitians, and others with experience in adult and pediatric endocrinology, epidemiology, public health, cardiovascular risk management, microvascular complications, preconception and pregnancy care, weight management and diabetes prevention, and use of technology in diabetes management. Two designated representatives of the American College of Cardiology (ACC) reviewed and provided feedback on the "Cardiovascular Disease and Risk Management" section, and this section received endorsement from ACC. “As a world leader in diabetes care, the ADA is proud to set the standards!”, said Boris Draznin, MD, PhD, Chair of the Professional Practice Committee.
The online version of the Standards of Care will continue to be annotated in real-time with necessary updates if new evidence or regulatory changes merit immediate incorporation through the living Standards of Care process. The ADA also publishes the abridged Standards of Care yearly for primary care providers in its journal, Clinical Diabetes, and offers a convenient Standards of Care app as well as a Standards of Care pocket chart. Other Standards of Care resources, including a webcast with continuing education credit and a full slide deck, can be found on DiabetesPro.
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About Diabetes Care®
Diabetes Care, a monthly journal of the American Diabetes Association (ADA), is the highest-ranked, peer-reviewed journal in the field of diabetes treatment and prevention. Dedicated to increasing knowledge, stimulating research and promoting better health care for people with diabetes, the journal publishes original articles on human studies in clinical care, education and nutrition; epidemiology, health services and psychosocial research; emerging treatments and technologies; and pathophysiology and complications. Diabetes Care also publishes the ADA’s recommendations and statements, clinically relevant review articles, editorials and commentaries. Topics covered are of interest to clinically oriented physicians, researchers, epidemiologists, psychologists, diabetes care and education specialists and other health care professionals.
About the American Diabetes Association
Every day more than 4,000 people are newly diagnosed with diabetes in America. More than 122 million Americans have diabetes or prediabetes and are striving to manage their lives while living with the disease. The American Diabetes Association (ADA) is the nation’s leading voluntary health organization fighting to bend the curve on the diabetes epidemic and help people living with diabetes thrive. For 80 years the ADA has been driving discovery and research to treat, manage and prevent diabetes, while working relentlessly for a cure. We help people with diabetes thrive by fighting for their rights and developing programs, advocacy and education designed to improve their quality of life. Diabetes has brought us together. What we do next will make us Connected for Life. To learn more or to get involved, visit us at diabetes.org or call 1-800-DIABETES (1-800-342-2383). Join the fight with us on Facebook (American Diabetes Association), Twitter (@AmDiabetesAssn) and Instagram (@AmDiabetesAssn).
