Familial hypertriglyceridaemia and type 2 diabetes in pregnancy: prevention of acute pancreatitis with diet control and omega-3 fatty acids.

Acute pancreatitis in pregnancy is rare and can be caused by hypertriglyceridaemia. The management of hypertriglyceridaemia in pregnancy is complex and challenging as many lipid-lowering medications have been found to be unsafe in pregnancy. Patients who present with hypertriglyceridaemia commonly have multiple risk factors such as, diabetes, alcohol excess and hypothyroidism which pose a greater challenge to the management of these patients.

Managing diabetic ketoacidosis.

Diabetic ketoacidosis is a common life-threatening complication, which usually occurs in patients with type 1 diabetes, but it may also occur in those with type 2 diabetes during severe concurrent illness, such as sepsis, myocardial infarction or corticosteroid treatment. This article provides an overview of the diagnosis, pathophysiology and management of diabetic ketoacidosis. The differential diagnosis and treatment of hyperosmolar non-ketotic coma is also discussed, as is the nurse's role in promoting and providing health education to patients with diabetic ketoacidosis.

Treatment of hyperglycaemia in patients with type 2 diabetes.

This article provides an overview of the lifestyle advice and drug treatment of hyperglycaemia in adults with type 2 diabetes. The value of patient education is highlighted, as is the importance of working with patients to set relevant goals. Long-term complications are briefly discussed along with the multi-faceted treatment of type 2 diabetes, which includes management of blood pressure, lipids and other cardiovascular risk factors in addition to hyperglycaemia.