Bridging the Gap for Patients with Diabetes and Cardiovascular Disease Through Cardiometabolic Collaboration

Implementation of Cardiometabolic Centers and Training Programs

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Type 2 diabetes is frequently accompanied by obesity, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, chronic kidney disease, and cardiovascular disease, which collectively contribute to the high burden of cardiometabolic disease. This review discusses cardiometabolic disease management, strategies to implement cardiometabolic centers to deliver care, and dedicated programs to train the next generation of cardiometabolic experts.

RECENT FINDINGS

Sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors, glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists, and a nonsteroidal mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist have demonstrated beneficial effects across cardiometabolic conditions. However, utilization of effective pharmacotherapies is low in clinical practice, in part due to clinical inertia and traditional sharp delineation in clinical responsibilities of specialists. Multidisciplinary clinics and population-health models can provide comprehensive care but require investment in physical and information technology infrastructure as well as in training and accreditation. Post-internal medicine residency cardiometabolic health training programs have been proposed. Implementing cardiometabolic centers in health systems involves reshaping current practices. Training programs focused on cardiometabolic health are needed to address the growing burden of disease and specific training needs in this ever-expanding area.

Androgen-dependent tissue factor pathway inhibitor regulating protein: a review of its peripheral actions and association with cardiometabolic diseases

The first genome-wide association study on coronary artery disease (CAD) in the Han Chinese population identified C6orf105 as a susceptibility gene. The C6orf105 gene was later found to encode for a protein that regulates tissue factor pathway inhibitor (TFPI) expression in endothelial cells in an androgen-dependent manner, and the novel protein was thus termed androgen-dependent TFPI-regulating protein (ADTRP). Since the identification of ADTRP, there have been several studies associating genetic variants on the ADTRP gene with CAD risk, as well as research providing mechanistic insights on this novel protein and its functional role. ADTRP is a membrane protein, whose expression is upregulated by androgen, GATA-binding protein 2, oxidized low-density lipoprotein, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors, and low-density lipoprotein receptors. ADTRP regulates multiple downstream targets involved in coagulation, inflammation, endothelial function, and vascular integrity. In addition, ADTRP functions as a fatty acid esters of hydroxy fatty acid (FAHFA)-specific hydrolase that is involved in energy metabolism. Current evidence suggests that ADTRP may play a role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis, CAD, obesity, and metabolic disorders. This review summarizes the current literature on ADTRP, with a focus on the peripheral actions of ADTRP, including expression, genetic variations, signaling pathways, and function. The evidence linking ADTRP and cardiometabolic diseases will also be discussed.

Update on Approaches to Improve Delivery and Quality of Care for People with Diabetes

To translate improvements in diabetes management into improved outcomes, it is essential to improve care delivery. To help guide clinicians and health organizations in their efforts to achieve these improvements, this article briefly describes key components underpinning effective diabetes care and six categories of innovations in approaches to improve diabetes care delivery: (1) team-based clinical care; (2) cross-specialty collaboration/integration; (3) virtual clinical care/telehealth; (4) use of community health workers (CHWs) and trained peers to provide pro-active self-management support; (5) incorporating screening for and addressing social determinants of health into clinical practice; and (6) cross-sectoral clinic/community partnerships.

An Examination of Prescribing Responsibilities between Psychiatrists and Primary Care Providers

Patients with comorbid mental health and chronic conditions often receive care from both psychiatrists and primary care physicians (PCPs). The introduction of multiple providers into the care process introduces opportunities for disruptions in care continuity. The purpose of this study was to explore psychiatrists' and PCPs' comfort prescribing, along with their comfort having other physician specialties prescribe medications for cardiometabolic, psychiatric, and neurological/behavioral conditions. This cross-sectional study utilized an online, validated, pilot-tested, anonymous survey to examine prescribing practices of psychiatrists and PCPs. Eligible participants included physicians with medical degrees, U.S. prescribing authority, and active patient care for ≥2 days/week. Outcomes of interest were physicians' self-comfort and cross-specialty comfort (other specialists prescribing mutual patients' medications) prescribing cardiometabolic, psychiatric, and neurological/behavioral medications. Comfort prescribing was measured using 7-point Likert scales. Discrepancies in comfort were analyzed using student's, one-sample, and paired t-tests. Multiple linear regressions examined associations between physician practice characteristics and physicians' comfort-level prescribing cardiometabolic and psychiatric medication categories. Among 50 psychiatrists and 50 PCPs, psychiatrists reported significantly lower self-comfort prescribing cardiometabolic medications (mean ± SD = 2.99 ± 1.63 vs. 6.77 ± 0.39, p < 0.001), but significantly higher self-comfort prescribing psychiatric medications (mean ± SD = 6.79 ± 0.41 vs. 6.00 ± 0.88, p < 0.001) and neurological/behavioral medications (mean ± SD = 6.48 ± 0.74 vs. 5.56 ± 1.68, p < 0.001) than PCPs. After adjusting for covariates, physician specialty was strongly associated with self-comfort prescribing cardiometabolic and psychiatric medication categories (both p < 0.001). Differences between self-comfort and cross-specialty comfort were identified. Because comfort prescribing medications differed by physician type, incorporating psychiatrists through collaborative methods with PCPs could potentially ensure comfort among physicians when initiating medications.