@article {Mainous283, author = {Arch G. Mainous III and Rebecca J. Tanner and Richard Baker}, title = {Prediabetes Diagnosis and Treatment in Primary Care}, volume = {29}, number = {2}, pages = {283--285}, year = {2016}, doi = {10.3122/jabfm.2016.02.150252}, publisher = {The Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine}, abstract = {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.}, issn = {1557-2625}, URL = {https://www.jabfm.org/content/29/2/283}, eprint = {https://www.jabfm.org/content/29/2/283.full.pdf}, journal = {The Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine} }