"Type 2 Diabetes, Early Detection and Prevention Are Crucial" ... A Compilation of 20 Years of Research

Professor Lim Soo, Bundang Seoul National University Hospital
Published in the World-Renowned Journal 'The Lancet'

Domestic researchers have recently published a paper in a world-renowned academic journal that outlines the development trends in diabetes treatment over the past 20 years and the future directions to be taken, attracting attention from the academic community.

The research team led by Professor Lim Soo from the Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism at Bundang Seoul National University Hospital announced on the 24th that they published a comprehensive paper covering epidemiology and pathophysiology, screening and diagnosis, complications, prevention, and management methods related to the treatment of type 2 diabetes. This study was published in the medical journal The Lancet.

Type 2 diabetes is a common chronic disease, accounting for 90% of approximately 537 million diabetes patients worldwide. In particular, there is a significant increase in cases of diabetes onset at relatively young ages, from adolescence to before 40 years old, which calls for heightened awareness.

12 Factors That Raise Blood Sugar Levels. [Source: Bundang Seoul National University Hospital]

According to this study, early detection and prevention of the disease are crucial to prevent complications and death caused by diabetes. Especially for high-risk groups, managing through weight loss via dietary therapy and exercise before the disease develops helps prevent or delay diabetes.

With recent advances in precision medicine, understanding of diabetes has improved, new treatments have been developed, and the possibility of targeted therapies leading to a cure has increased. The treatment paradigm is also shifting from simple blood sugar control to holistic care centered on individual patients. The active use of new diabetes medications such as SGLT-2 inhibitors and GLP-1 receptor agonists is recommended.

However, "clinical inertia" remains an obstacle in diabetes treatment. This refers to healthcare providers' reluctance to implement new treatments and insistence on existing methods. In a global survey of 1,677 healthcare professionals, although 67% of respondents were aware of published data on new glucose-lowering therapies and 81.6% agreed that early implementation of these therapies offers clinical benefits, 46.1% reported not actively using these treatments and applying them only at very late stages. It is also concerning that many countries still use older drugs that increase the risk of hypoglycemia or weight gain.

Im Soo, Professor of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital.

The research team suggests utilizing patient-centered multidisciplinary treatment methods. They believe that sharing appropriate treatment guidelines between doctors and patients, and having healthcare professionals such as nurses, pharmacists, and nutritionists collaborate as a multidisciplinary team for patient care, is the most effective way to alleviate clinical inertia. Additionally, new technologies are widely used in diabetes management. Continuous glucose monitors and insulin pumps have expanded from type 1 diabetes patients to type 2 diabetes patients, and wearable technologies for monitoring physical activity, calculating meal calories, and analyzing body composition are widely used in diabetes patient management.

Professor Lim said, "This paper compiles research related to type 2 diabetes published over the past 20 years and describes the future direction of diabetes treatment, which is very meaningful. I hope the treatment paradigm will shift to multidisciplinary care focused on the characteristics of individual patients, and we will continue research to prevent complications and improve the quality of life for diabetes patients."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.