Joshua J. Joseph, MD: Managing CV Risk Factors in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes

A recent presentation focused on the clinical cornerstones of treatment of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors and diabetes and the long-term outcomes stemming from cardiometabolic disease.

The presentation was given at the 6th Annual Heart in Diabetes Meeting in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

In an interview with HCPLive, the presenter, Joshua J. Joseph, MD, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, focused on an American Heart Association scientific statement on the comprehensive risk management of these diseases.

"The number one priority that really sits in the center of everything else that we do in diabetes, management of cardiovascular risk factors, is lifestyle management," Joseph said.

He described studies within the lifestyle management space and provided guidance on providers on how to improve lifestyle behaviors. Joseph went on to discuss medications known to reduce the risk of CVD and differences and similarities across trials.

He additionally described the importance of equity and the importance of team-based care as an innovation in CVD management in diabetes.

"Importantly, thinking that we need to all work on this together," Joseph said. We really need team based care to do that, whether that is cardiologists working with endocrinologists nephrologists, hepatologists, or whether that is health care systems working with communities to address social determinants of health, and social needs, like food insecurity, and housing insecurity, two factors that are critical in diabetes treatment and care."

Moreover, Joseph discussed pharmacological options in obesity management as a risk factor for diabetes patients.

"We really need to greatly increase the amount of individuals who are utilizing therapies that can improve not only their diabetes, but also hypertension, and cholesterol and all these other cardiovascular risk factors, and improve overall life expectancy," he said.

Joseph concluded by discussing policy and the environmental level factors which may improve an individual's ability to live in a healthy envirionment, have access to medications, and receive a living wage, ultimately reducing rates.

"I think the opportunity to do to do that is to engage with people where they are performing education and community engagement in order to address this really important issue," Joseph said.