Phar 3717: Beyond Blood Sugar: Type 2 Diabetes, Stigma, and Controversies in Treatment

Course Description

This course is designed to increase the learner’s understanding of the complex relationship between Type 2 diabetes, insulin resistance, and metabolic syndrome. Students will explore the pharmacotherapy of Type 2 diabetes, including the pathophysiology, non-drug treatment measures, and the most common drug therapy available for treatment, including oral medications, insulin, and Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1s). It is nearly impossible to discuss these topics without also discussing body weight, weight loss, and the weight stigma prevalent in both our society and healthcare system. The course will describe the function of adipocytes as endocrine cells and the complex system of appetite regulation, and explore how medications used to treat Type 2 diabetes also impact body weight and health outcomes. You will discuss how issues such as drug shortages, drug pricing, and drug policy and regulation impact patient access to medications, especially insulin and GLP-1s. The course will explore the role of weight inclusive care in this complex environment, and provide students the opportunity to evaluate sources of information and engage in personal reflection to increase self-awareness.

Objectives

  1. After completion of this course, you will be able to:
  2. Evaluate sources of drug information for reliability, accuracy, and usability.
  3. Describe the pathophysiology of type 2 diabetes, including the relationship to insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome.  
  4. Describe the function of adipocytes as endocrine cells and the complex system of appetite regulation.
  5. Discuss the impact of weight stigma and implicit bias on patients, including disparities in health outcomes, employment, wages, and mental health.
  6. Describe non-drug measures that are useful in the treatment of Type 2 diabetes.
  7. Discuss the most common medications available for treatment
  8. Describe how issues, such as drug shortages, drug pricing, and policy and regulation, impact patients, especially regarding the use of insulin and GLP-1s.  
  9. Discuss the approach to weight-inclusive care, barriers to delivery, and comparison to a traditional weight-centric paradigm.
  10. Engage in personal reflection and explore the value of self-awareness to the reflective process.

Topics

  • Drug Information and Evidence Evaluation
  • Pathophysiology of Type 2 Diabetes, Insulin Resistance, and Metabolic Syndrome
  • Adipocytes and Appetite Regulation
  • Weight Stigma and Implicit Bias
  • Non-Drug Measures to Treat Type 2 Diabetes
  • Pharmacotherapy for Type 2 Diabetes and Weight Management:
  • GLP-1s and insulin: Place in Therapy and Approach to Treatment  
  • Weight-Inclusive Care and Comparison to a Weight-Centric Paradigm
  • GLP-1 Drug Shortages and Accessibility
  • Drug Costs: Patients, Health Insurance Plans, and the Government
  • Legislation and policy: Weight Discrimination, Third-Party Telehealth, Direct to Consumer Advertisements