Pathogenesis and gtycemic management of type 2 diabetes mellitus: a physiological approach

Type 2 diabetes [T2DM] is an incompletely understood chronic, progressive multifactorial disease with insulin resistance and decreased P-cell function playing dominant roles in its genesis. The worldwide incidence of the disease is rapidly increasing to pandemic proportions. The increase in incidence of T2DM is attributable to changes in lifestyle, diet and obesity, but other causes remain to be defined. The disease is a major cause of early mortality due to atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease [CVD], and is the leading cause of blindness, leg amputations, and chronic renal disease. Hyperglycemia inT2DM becomes manifest once insulin secretion is no longer adequate for the metabolic demands of the individual. The approach to glycemic management of the disease is increasingly based on understanding the underlying pathophysiology. Efforts to maintain and preserve p-cell function during the earlier phases of the disease may have important implications in prevention of subsequent complications of T2DM. Finally, the approach to glycemic management of the disease should be individualized by considering the psycho-socio-economic condition of each patient, and glycemic targets should reflect presence of comor-bid conditions, age of the patient, the stage of their disease in terms of duration, presence of macro- and micro-vascular complications, and propensity for severe hypoglycemia

Impact of quality mentorship on achievements of shiraz medical school in the 1970s and the role of Professor Faramarz Ismail-Beigi

Almost four decades ago, an eminent physician, outstanding mentor and scholar, Professor Faramarz Ismail-Beigi [b. 1941] was appointed Chair of the Department of Internal Medicine at Shiraz Medical School. Soon, this proved to be the beginning of a golden era in medical education at that center. Professor Ismail-Beigi invited outstanding teachers and physicians to collaborate with him. Their efforts during the next decade laid a strong and unique foundation for medical education based on quality mentorship and role-modeling. In this paper, we briefly highlight the importance of mentorship in medicine and medical education, followed by a glance at the academic life and career of Professor Ismail-Beigi and his role as a prominent mentor at the Shiraz School of Medicine