The lifetime risk for coronary vascular disease in people with diabetes is high, about 67% in men and 57% in women at age 50 years. The rate of fatal coronary heart disease is 3.5 times higher in patients with diabetes than in those without.
Caring for both heart disease and diabetes simultaneously is medically complex and requires a team approach that includes cardiologists and endocrinologists working together with diabetes nurse specialists, dietitians, rehabilitation specialists, and other health care professionals.
The Diabetes Management Clinic is a collaboration between the Division of Cardiology at the University of Ottawa Heart Institute and the Division of Endocrinology & Metabolism at The Ottawa Hospital.
Outpatient Discharge Clinic
This clinic is open to all patients newly diagnosed or living with either Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes (with HbA1C greater than 7%) who have been recently discharged from the University of Ottawa Heart Institute and who are not currently under the care of an endocrinologist.
This clinic is for short-term management (up to one year) to ensure that this high risk population is being managed as per the Diabetes Canada Clinical Practice Guidelines.
Outpatient Referrals
Patients may be seen pre-admission for glycemic optimization prior to cardiac surgery if one or more of the following criteria are met:
- Severe or frequent hypoglycemia (two or more episodes of glucose < 4 or unresponsive to change in therapy)
- Suboptimal glycemic control (A1C >8% (0.08) or capillary blood glucose > 14) despite changes in treatment
- Will likely need to start insulin
- Need further insulin adjustment and teaching
All other outpatient referrals should be directed to The Ottawa Hospital Endocrine and Diabetes Centre, Riverside Campus.