Insights Newsletter: February 2023

Know When to Use a GLP-1 Agonist or SGLT2 Inhibitor First-Line

• Pain Point: You’ll hear debate about whether metformin should still be first-line for all patients with type 2 diabetes. That’s because guidelines from the American Diabetes Association now recommend a GLP-1 agonist (Ozempic, etc.) or SGLT2 inhibitor (Farxiga, etc.) for certain patients with type 2 diabetes regardless of A1c goal or metformin use, due to the heart and kidney benefits of these medication classes. 
• Solution: Our Pharmacist’s Letter, Hospital Pharmacist’s Letter, Pharmacy Technician’s Letter, and Prescriber’s Letter articles provide advice to help clinicians tailor first-line meds for type 2 diabetes based on cost, comorbidities, etc. We discuss the pros and cons of metformin, GLP-1 agonists, and SGLT2 inhibitors, so clinicians can work with patients to individualize therapy. Our resource, Improving Diabetes Outcomes, outlines additional recommendations on fine-tuning A1c targets, managing blood pressure and lipids, monitoring, and more. 

Emphasize Techniques for Accurate Blood Pressure Readings

• Pain Point: Almost half of adults in the U.S. have high blood pressure, but many aren’t aware they have it. Plus, errors with blood pressure measurement are common. American Heart Month will put more emphasis on measuring blood pressure properly and home BP monitoring for hypertension. 
• Solution: Our Pharmacist’s Letter, Pharmacist’s Letter Canada, Pharmacy Technician’s Letter, Pharmacy Technician’s Letter Canada, and Prescriber’s Letter articles highlight techniques to ensure blood pressure (BP) is being checked appropriately, and give guidance on the type of monitor to suggest to patients for home BP monitoring. Our recommendations also include pearls on when and how often patients should check their BP, and how to interpret home BP results. Our resource, Treatment of Hypertension, gives readers a review of BP goals, lifestyle changes, and recommended medications.
  

Tart Cherry for Sleep: The New Melatonin? 

• Pain Point: There have been concerns about melatonin overdoses, especially in pediatric populations. This has led to an interest in alternative sleep aids. On social media, there is a growing interest in using tart cherry juice for children. 
• Solution: In our Natural Medicines article, we mention how some small studies suggest that drinking tart cherry juice twice daily may improve sleep and reduce insomnia. However, evidence is very limited, and it hasn’t been studied in children. In addition, we provide suggestions for counseling parents that are interested in this as an option for children. 

Learn how to stay current with the latest pharmacy law and regulatory changes, and read recent updates in our Diabetes Resource Hub. Don’t miss our new on-demand webinar, and be sure to check out February’s most popular charts for our Letter products.

Read February’s issue of Insights Newsletter.