Patient guide · Diabetes
Diabetes: what good care looks like
Modern diabetes care protects the heart and kidneys, not just blood sugar. Here is what the guidelines recommend and what a good visit includes.
What diabetes is, in plain language
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What the current guidelines recommend
The main guideline is ADA Standards of Care in Diabetes. **
The treatments, and why each one is recommended
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What guideline-based care looks like at a visit
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Red flags that a clinician is not following the guidelines
- Selling supplements, peptides, or compounded drugs as treatment
- Stopping proven medicines without a medical reason
- Ordering unproven tests or “detox” programs
- Telling you the guidelines are wrong without evidence
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Why choosing a guideline-based clinician matters
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Questions to ask your doctor
- Which guideline do you follow for diabetes, and what year is it from?
- Which of the recommended treatments am I on, and if not, why not?
- What targets are we aiming for, and how will we track them?
- What should make me call you before my next visit?
- Do you sell any supplements or compounded medicines? (A guideline-based clinic does not.)
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Every endocrinologist on DoctorDirectory.ai is license-verified, board-certified, and has signed a dated attestation to these guidelines. No patient reviews or star ratings, just facts you can check.
The guidelines behind this guide
Summaries in plain language, with links to the official documents and PDFs.
American Diabetes Association · 2026
Standards of Care in Diabetes, 2026
- The ADA updates this guideline every year; it is the reference most US diabetes care follows.
- A1C goals are individualized (under 7 percent for many adults), with continuous glucose monitors recommended for anyone on insulin.
- For people with heart disease, heart failure, or kidney disease, SGLT2 inhibitors and GLP-1 receptor agonists are recommended regardless of A1C.
- Weight management, blood pressure, statins, kidney checks, eye and foot exams, and vaccines are part of routine care.
KDIGO · 2022
KDIGO 2022 Clinical Practice Guideline for Diabetes Management in Chronic Kidney Disease
- For people with both diabetes and kidney disease: an ACE inhibitor or ARB, an SGLT2 inhibitor, metformin if kidney function allows, and a statin.
- Finerenone is added for those with albumin in the urine despite those medicines.
- GLP-1 receptor agonists are preferred when more glucose lowering is needed.
NICE (United Kingdom) · 2022
NICE NG28: Type 2 diabetes in adults: management
- The UK national guideline, written by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence and updated in 2022.
- Individual A1C targets (usually 48 mmol/mol, about 6.5 percent, on lifestyle or one medicine; 53, about 7 percent, on medicines that can cause lows).
- Metformin first; an SGLT2 inhibitor is added, or used first, for people with heart failure, heart disease, or high heart risk.
- Covers blood pressure, foot and eye checks, kidney protection, and when to refer.
NICE (United Kingdom) · 2022
NICE NG17: Type 1 diabetes in adults: diagnosis and management
- Offers continuous glucose monitoring to all adults with type 1 diabetes and supports insulin pumps and hybrid closed-loop systems for those who qualify.
- Recommends structured education (such as DAFNE) within a year of diagnosis and an A1C target of 48 mmol/mol, about 6.5 percent, where it can be reached safely.
- Sets out ketone testing, sick-day rules, and how to spot and manage hypoglycemia.
Find a vetted endocrinologist near you
Every endocrinologist listed has a verified license, board certifications on record, and a dated attestation to these guidelines. No reviews, no ratings.