Smart Meds: Using Pharmacists to Address Health Literacy Disparities Among Medically- and Socially-Vulnerable Populations.

Patients in historically underserved communities are most vulnerable to uncontrolled chronic conditions and report a lack of health knowledge to manage them. This report aims to describe the development of SMART MEDS, a pharmacy-led program implemented to address health literacy disparities among medically and socially vulnerable patients.

A review of the treatment of type 2 diabetes in children.

The incidence of type 2 diabetes and obesity in children and adolescents has risen at staggering rates. Studies have shown that treating type 2 diabetes with oral medications in children may be more difficult than treating in adults. Compounding this problem is the fact that most of the medications available for treating type 2 diabetes have not been studied in children. Recently, the American Diabetes Association and the Pediatric Endocrine Society have collaborated to create a guideline for the treatment of type 2 diabetes in children. Similar to the treatment of adults with type 2 diabetes, metformin remains the mainstay of therapy along with diet and exercise. Adjunctive therapy should be based on the limited clinical evidence available as well as on patient preference. In order to avoid detrimental microvascular and macrovascular complications, patients, clinicians, and family members should work together to ensure adequate treatment of type 2 diabetes in children.