Shobha Rao, MD, Assistant Professor, Department of Family Practice and Community Medicine, UT Southwestern, Dallas, TX, USA.
Impaired glucose tolerance and impaired fasting glucose (prediabetes) form an intermediate stage in the natural history of diabetes. People with prediabetes are at high risk for developing diabetes and thus are a key target group for primary prevention of the disease. A structured program of lifestyle interventions that includes weight loss and regular exercise has demonstrated benefit in delaying or preventing diabetes among people with prediabetes. Lifestyle interventions are most effective. Pharmacotherapy with metformin, acarbose, orlistat, and thiazolidinediones has also shown success in preventing diabetes, although cost effectiveness of these agents in managing prediabetes has not been assessed.
Key words: prediabetes, screening, primary prevention, impaired glucose tolerance, impaired fasting glucose.
