Purpose  

To summarize current knowledge of interventions that should improve the care of patients with type II diabetes mellitus. Interventions lie within the realms of prevention, screening, and treatment, all of which are focused on office practice.

Methods  

Review of the literature by a multidisciplinary team involved in the care of patients with diabetes, followed by synthesis of the literature into a clinical care guideline. Literature was identified through consultation with experts and a focused MEDLINE search.

Main Results  

An algorithm-based guideline for screening and treatment of the complications of diabetes was developed. The emphasis is on prevention of atherosclerotic disease, and prevention, screening, and early treatment of microvascular disease. Implementation of these practices has the potential to significantly improve quality of life and increase life expectancy in patients with type II diabetes mellitus.