Diabetes: Don’t Sugarcoat It—UPDATED

This lecture offers the following credit types: P.A.C.E.®, Florida
 

Diabetes Mellitus is a major public health problem worldwide and its incidence is projected to continue rising at an alarming rate. It is a chronic condition of hyperglycemia that overtime leads to serious damage to many of the body’s systems, including the heart, kidneys, blood vessels, and nerves if poorly controlled. Therefore, testing for the diagnosis and monitoring of diabetes is critical so treatment can be initiated and adjusted before extensive damage occurs. This presentation will describe the clinical presentation, diagnosis, and treatment of type 1 and type 2 diabetes with an emphasis on analytical methods used in diagnostic testing.

Originally presented on September 16, 2024, in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Lecture Presenter

Heather A. Nelson, PhD

Heather A. Nelson, PhD

Assistant Professor (Clinical)
University of Utah Department of Pathology, ARUP Laboratories
Medical Director, Clinical Chemistry and Mass Spectrometry
ARUP Laboratories

Dr. Heather Nelson is a medical director of Clinical Chemistry and Mass Spectrometry at ARUP Laboratories, and an assistant professor (clinical) at the University of Utah School of Medicine. She received her doctorate degree in cell and developmental biology from SUNY Upstate Medical University. She then completed fellowships in diabetes, endocrinology, and metabolism at Vanderbilt University Medical Center and in clinical chemistry from the University of Utah School of Medicine. Dr. Nelson is a diplomate of the American Board of Clinical Chemistry and a member of the Association for Diagnostics & Laboratory Medicine (ADLM). She received the 2022 AACC Annual Scientific Meeting—First Place Student Oral Presentation Award, 2022 AACC SYCL Travel grant, 2021 AACC Annual Scientific Meeting—Student Research Poster Award: Honorable mention and the 2021 ACLPS Paul E. Strandjord Young Investigator Award, Division and Academy abstract awards at the 2024 ADLM Annual Scientific Meeting for her research highlighting a need for pediatric reference ranges in advanced lipoprotein testing. Her research interests include endocrinology, diabetes, lipids, and laboratory best practices.

Objectives

After this presentation, participants will be able to:

  • Describe and differentiate type 1 and type 2 diabetes
  • Identify the criteria required for diagnosis of diabetes and the analytical methods used in the clinical laboratory for diagnostic testing
  • Discuss blood glucose monitoring, insulin administration, and medications used in managing diabetes

Sponsored by:

University of Utah School of Medicine, Department of Pathology, and ARUP Laboratories