Prevention or delay of Diabetes type 2

Abstract

The incidence of Diabetes Mellitus type 2 (T2D) is dramatically increasing worldwide, approaching epidemic proportions especially among young people in the developing countries. Provided screening strategies are applied, the natural history of T2D can be modified at population level using different intervention modalities, to detect those at risk.

In this paper we review the three major T2D prevention studies with no pharmacological intervention as follows: the DaQing-IGT study, the Finnish Diabetes Prevention Study, and the Diabetes Prevention Program. Likewise we review the trials that have assessed the impact of phar-macologic intervention in DM2 prevention with oral anti-diabetic, anti-obesity and anti-hypertension agents as well as with statins in T2D prevention or delay in high-risk individuals. Finally, we propose a series of guidelines for the detection of high-risk patients and T2D prevention in clinical practice.