Applying New NAFLD Recommendations in Type 2 Diabetes, with Sarah Wheeler, PharmD, and John Bucheit, PharmD

For decades, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has presented a significant problem to healthcare providers and members of the diabetes care team. In recent years, as the prevalence of obesity and type 2 diabetes has increased, this problem has grown in magnitude.

The growing magnitude of this was the onus behind a significant overhaul of the American Diabetes Association’s Standards of Care in Diabetes—2023, with more than a dozen new recommendations related to screening and management of NAFLD in people with diabetes. Debuted at the 83rd Scientific Sessions of the American Diabetes Association, the changes include 4 new recommendations on screening and 9 new recommendations on management of NAFLD.

“Liver disease is increasingly being recognized as a major complication of diabetes,” said Robert Gabbay, MD, chief scientific and medical officer at the ADA. “ADA is committed to preventing and curing diabetes, a complex, chronic illness that requires continuous medical care. For more than 30 years, ADA has been actively involved in the development of clinical practice recommendations that clinicians, researchers, health plans, policymakers, and others can rely on to guide diabetes care.”

Less than 2 months after the debut of this new guidance at ADA 2023, the Association of Diabetes Care and Education Specialists 2023 annual meeting continued to shine a spotlight on NAFLD in diabetes, with a session dedicated to best practices for applying new recommendations in treatment of NAFLD in type 2 diabetes. With an interest in learning more about contemporary perspectives on the management of NAFLD in people with diabetes, the editorial team with HCPLive Endocrinology sat down with Sarah Wheeler, PharmD, assistant professor of Pharmacy Practice and Ambulatory Care at Shenandoah University, and John Bucheit, PharmD, associate professor in the Department of Pharmacotherapy and Outcomes Science at Virginia Commonwealth University, who presented during the aforementioned session, to learn more.

Wheeler and Bucheit have no relevant disclosures.

References:

1. ElSayed NA, Aleppo G, Aroda VR, et al. Addendum. 4. Comprehensive Medical Evaluation and Assessment of Comorbidities: Standards of Care in Diabetes—2023. Diabetes Care 2023;46(Suppl. 1):S49–S67. Diabetes Care 2023; dc23ad09. https://doi.org/10.2337/dc23-ad09
2. American Diabetes Association releases a guideline update in NAFLD (non-alcoholic fatty liver disease) and diabetes. American Diabetes Association Releases a Guideline Update in NAFLD (Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease) and Diabetes | ADA. June 25, 2023. Accessed September 22, 2023. https://diabetes.org/newsroom/press-releases/2023/american-diabetes-association-releases-guideline-update-NAFLD-diabetes.