PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Arch G. Mainous III
AU  - Rebecca J. Tanner
AU  - Richard Baker
TI  - Prediabetes Diagnosis and Treatment in Primary Care
AID  - 10.3122/jabfm.2016.02.150252
DP  - 2016 Mar 01
TA  - The Journal of the American Board of Family
                Medicine
PG  - 283--285
VI  - 29
IP  - 2
4099  - http://www.jabfm.org/content/29/2/283.short
4100  - http://www.jabfm.org/content/29/2/283.full
SO  - J Am Board Fam Med2016 Mar 01; 29
AB  - Background: The increasing prevalence of diabetes is a major health problem. The detection and treatment of prediabetes can delay the onset of diabetes and presents an important diabetes prevention strategy.Methods: Using data from the 2012 National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey, we studied visits by adults aged ≥45 years without diagnosed diabetes who had an HbA1c test within 90 days of the visit (n = 518 unweighted visits; n = 11,167,004 weighted visits). HbA1c results were categorized into normal, prediabetes, and diabetes, and we examined patient characteristics (age, sex, race, payer type, body mass index) and treatment of prediabetes.Results: Among visiting adults, 54.6% had a normal HbA1c value, 33.6% had prediabetes, and 11.9% had diabetes. Of those patient visits with HbA1c consistent with prediabetes, the number of patients diagnosed with prediabetes was too low for a reliable population estimate. Indication of treatment in the medical record (lifestyle modification counseling and/or metformin) was present in 23.0% of those with diagnosed or undiagnosed prediabetes. The most common treatment was lifestyle modification counseling.Conclusions: Our findings show that there are missed opportunities for diabetes prevention in primary care. Providers need to change their approach to prediabetes and play a more effective role in preventing diabetes.