Importance of diabetes management during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

Uncontrolled diabetes and/or hyperglycemia is associated with severe COVID-19 disease and increased mortality. It is now known that poor glucose control before hospital admission can be associated with a high risk of in-hospital death. By achieving and maintaining glycemic control, primary care physicians (PCPs) play a critical role in limiting this potentially devastating outcome. Further, despite the hope that mass vaccination will help control the pandemic, genetic variants of the virus are causing surges in some countries. As such, PCPs will treat an increasing number of patients with diabetes who have symptoms of post–COVID-19 infection, or even have new-onset type 2 diabetes as a result of COVID-19 infection. However, much of the literature published focuses on the effects of COVID-19 in hospitalized patients, with few publications providing information and advice to those caring for people with diabetes in the primary care setting. This manuscript reviews the current knowledge of the risk and outcomes of individuals with diabetes who are infected with COVID-19 and provides information for PCPs on the importance of glucose control, appropriate treatment, and use of telemedicine and online prescription delivery systems to limit the potentially devastating effects of COVID-19 in people with hyperglycemia.