Image of nurses' hands at computer keyboard

For the first time ever, the American Diabetes Association has released guidelines on diabetes management in long-term care settings.

Hypoglycemia and care transitions are among the prominent topics in “Management of Diabetes in Long-Term Care and Skilled Nursing Facilities,” which was released Feb. 2 by the ADA.

The guide focuses primarily on type 2 diabetes, the most common type among long-term care residents. 

Hypoglycemic risk (low blood sugar) is most important when calculating glycemic goals, guideline authors advise.

They also note that LTC providers should avoid sole use of sliding scale insulin because it leads to widely varying blood-glucose levels and, among other things, is more labor- and resource-intensive.

Full guidelines appeared in the February issue of Diabetes Care.