Chronic illness


Nurses provide patients with diabetes or high blood pressure with regular monitoring of their condition. They share their knowledge with patients so that they can put the advice into practice and thus adopt good lifestyle habits to improve their cardiovascular condition. They report any significant changes to the doctor who will make the necessary adjustments to the medications if necessary.

Diabetes program

For patients who are members of the CMSA with a diagnosis of diabetes or prediabetes and who are not followed by an endocrinologist.

CMSA Diabetes pamphlet

Access

CMSA member patients diagnosed with prediabetes or diabetes are automatically part of this program and are assigned to the DMSC Diabetes Nurse Specialist. If you have any of these conditions and do not have a diabetes management appointment, please call reception and ask to speak to the diabetes nurse. This service is free.

Objective of the program

To improve the health and well-being of patients with diabetes or prediabetes through regular follow-up (appointment every 3 months), education about these conditions and the promotion of diabetes skills. 'self-management.

Expectations

i) Things to do before your diabetes management appointment:
  1. blood test 1-2 weeks before the appointment (If the lab requisition is misplaced, just call the CMSA and ask to speak to the diabetes nurse)
  2. monitor fasting blood glucose and blood glucose two hours after meals regularly during the week prior to the appointment.

ii) During the diabetes management appointment:

  1. you will first meet with the diabetes nurse, who will perform an assessment of your diabetes and, if needed, provide education regarding nutrition, dietary recommendations and physical activity.
  2. You may be referred to the dietitian (see the section on nutrition services), the nurse specialist in foot care (see the section on foot health), the social workers of the CMSA (see section on the Prism psychosocial support), or the community diabetes education program for additional support.
  3. Then, you will quickly meet with your doctor who will confirm your current treatment plan or adjust it based on the information gathered by the nurse and your blood tests, which is why it is crucial to have them done before your appointment.

iii) After the diabetes management appointment:

  1. ensure that the next follow-up appointment is scheduled 3 months later (4X per year)
  2. make sure you have a blood test request to do it before the next follow-up appointment.

iv) Useful items to bring to your diabetes management appointment:

  1. glycemic logbook
  2. glucose meter
  3. list of medications knowing which ones need to be renewed
  4. written questions to ask the nurse or doctor
  5. blood pressure diary if available
  6. meal and/or exercise diary if there is one


The main data collected (ATC)

A - A1c or HbA1c is the data that represents the percentage of red blood cells that have sugar stuck to them. This gives an idea of ​​your average blood sugar over the past two or three months. It is not the same as blood sugar measured by the glucometer. A healthy goal should be below 7%, but this can vary. The objective should therefore be discussed with the doctor and/or nurse.

B – Blood pressure should be measured at least every 6 months. It is best to rest 20 minutes before taking your blood pressure. A healthy target for a diabetic patient is less than 130/80.

C – LDL cholesterol is a type of fat in your blood that is linked to an increased risk of heart disease. A healthy goal for LDL cholesterol is 2.0mmol/L or less (or 50% reduction from starting point).


Understanding Diabetes Screening Blood Test Results

GJ < 5.6 mmol/L
HbA1c < 5.5%		 Normal
GJ between 5.6 and 6.0 mmol/L
HbA1c between 5.5% and 5.9%		 At risk
GJ between 6.1 and 6.9 mmol/L
HbA1c between 6.0% and 6.4%		 Prediabetes
GJ ≥ 7.0 mmol/L
HbA1c ≥ 6.5%		 Diabetes