Description
Objectives:
By the end of this session, participants will be able to:
1. Define insulin Resistance and review the pathophysiology of IR
2. Identify risk factors and common clinical signs of IR
3. Identify diagnostic and clinical criteria used to screen for and diagnose insulin resistance and conditions related to insulin resistance
4. Develop a management and prevention plan: evidence-based treatment strategies for improving insulin sensitivity, encouraging lifestyle modifications, and medication as needed.
5. Identify resources and supports for patients.
Description:
Why should all health care professionals prioritize understanding insulin resistance? Because insulin resistance serves as the foundational driver for a vast spectrum of modern chronic diseases, often remaining “silent” for years before a clinical diagnosis like Type 2 Diabetes is made. Since insulin resistance can manifest with normal blood glucose levels through compensatory hyperinsulinemia, clinicians who recognize early physiological markers, can intervene through lifestyle and pharmacological shifts long before irreversible organ damage occurs. Moreover, insulin resistance is no longer viewed solely as a metabolic hurdle; it is now inextricably linked to cardiovascular disease, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), and even neurodegenerative conditions like Alzheimer’s disease. By mastering the mechanisms of insulin sensitivity, healthcare providers can shift from reactive “sick care” to proactive, systemic health management, significantly improving patient longevity and reducing the burden of metabolic syndrome.
Who Should Attend?:
• Nurses in all Hospital settings, acute & critical care, mental health, ambulatory, transition/discharge settings
• Nurses in all community & continuing care settings; primary care, home care, NP led clinics
• New professional staff in Diabetes Clinics
• Dietitians, Occupational Health Care Nurses, Nurse Educators
• All Staff who wish to update their knowledge of Insulin Resistance
Lisa Maks, RN, MN, CDE
Lisa is a Diabetes Clinical Nurse Specialist for Providence Health Care on her move west in 2022. She brings 38 years of nursing, with 22 years in the diabetes field. In her role, she provides expert consultation to prescribers, quality improvement projects, leadership, and engages in education and research. She makes change at a systems level to provide evidence-based improvements to diabetes management for the people we serve. Since 2008, she had academic ties with McMaster University School of Nursing in Hamilton, Ontario, and is currently an Adjunct Professor at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, BC. Lisa is also a current member of the Diabetes Canada Clinical Practice Guidelines committee for revision of the Diabetes and Older Adult chapter. She is passionate about diabetes management and has worked in a variety of settings from in-patient, out-patient, to community settings.
