The number of individuals being diagnosed with type II diabetes in the United States is increasing. The screening tests for diabetes are able to detect the vast majority of diabetics. However, they do not represent the high-risk individuals who may be prone to diabetes at an earlier age. This brief communication looks at the current screening practices and the gaps in the guidelines.

The most relevant clinical trials, assessing the role of glycemic control in reducing cardiovascular risk, are examined. The UKPDS was the first to address this issue. More recent trials (ACCORD, ADVANCE and VADT) are controversial and evidences did not support that strict glycemic control (reflected by normal glycated hemoglobin) exclusively is sufficient to reduce cardiovascular risk in compl...

Type 2 diabetes makes a compelling case study for public health action (1). The disease respects no boundaries. It is increasingly common — occurring in both developed and developing countries (2), in men and women, at earlier ages than in past decades, and in persons of every race and ethnic group, with a high prevalence in Hispanic/Latino Americans and in other minority groups, including nonH...