LAUSR

Intermediate hyperglycemia (IH), or prediabetes, is a risk factor for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and is defined as blood glucose levels above normal but not high enough to be diagnosed as T2DM. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), IH contributed to 2.2 million deaths worldwide by increasing risk for other conditions, such as cardiovascular disease. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately a third of the US population (84 million) have IH, but 90% do not know it. However, the rate of diabetes is growing the fastest in lowand middle-income countries. Intermediate hyperglycemia presents without signs of symptoms, and it can progress to T2DM over time. Nurses in every setting, but especially those in the community setting, are in prime positions to help patients learn about risk factors for both IH and T2DM, identify IH early through screening when warranted, and prevent progression to T2DM among those identified with IH through lifestyle changes. “At the individual level, intensive interventions to improve diet and physical activity can prevent or delay the onset of T2DM in people at high risk.” The meta-analysis upon which this article is based adds to the current knowledge of IH and T2DM by quantifying the incidence of IH progression to T2DM and evaluating differences in risk level among people with IH compared with normoglycemia.