Beyond Blood Sugar: Improving Kidney and Lipid Care in Diabetes

Endocrinology & Diabetes, Primary Care / Family Medicine

People living with diabetes face a higher risk of serious complications - especially heart and kidney disease. In fact, about 1 in 3 people with diabetes may develop kidney problems, which can lead to life-threatening conditions like heart failure. They're also 2 to 4 times more likely to develop heart disease, the leading cause of death for people with type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Early detection and team-based care in the community can make a big difference. 

To help primary care teams better support patients at risk, the PLP launched a 3-part webinar series developed by medical directors Dr. Donna Manca and Dr. Darren Lau. The sessions focused on practical ways to slow kidney disease progression and reduce heart disease risk in people with diabetes - using real-world data and tools that support better decision-making. The first two webinars explored care for patients with chronic kidney disease and diabetes with high cholesterol (dyslipidemia). Participants used NAPCReN data to reflect on their own practice patterns. The third session offered physicians a chance to receive feedback on complex, de-identified cases and introduced two PLP-created tools: How to read my AGP - Continuous Glucose Management Guide and MyL3Plan.