[High/very high cardiovascular risk diabetes. How much does the cardiologist know?]

Abstract

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D) carries a significant cardiovascular (CV) risk, highlighting the key role of the cardiology specialist in its management. Based on a Spanish publication, Argentine cardiology specialists explored cardiologist knowledge on the diagnosis and treatment of T2D in patients with high/very high CV risk. Ninety-eight clinical cardiologists not expert in T2D were assessed using a self-audit questionnaire before and after watching four educational videos. After the educational intervention, greater attention was observed to key indicators, such as waist circumference, microalbuminuria, and oral glucose tolerance test, to define treatment plans. Likewise, strict control of arterial hypertension and LDL cholesterol levels was emphasized. In addition, a tendency was found to simplify pharmacotherapy and a trend towards simplifying drug therapy for better cardiovascular outcomes emerged. Although knowledge on the diagnosis and treatment of T2D by Argentine clinical cardiologists is adequate in certain aspects, there are areas that can be improved. Transforming these knowledge gaps into intervention opportunities allows for the development of strategies aimed at optimizing the diagnosis, management and prevention of CV complications in patients with T2D.