Health Diagnostic Laboratory Inc. Announces Diabetes Prevention & Management Panel for Early Detection and Treatment of Disease

RICHMOND, Va., May 29, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Health Diagnostic Laboratory, Inc. has released a new comprehensive panel for the early detection of prediabetes and diabetes that further expands the advanced cardiovascular testing and health management company into the prevention and reversal of a leading cause of heart disease.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130529/PH21803-a )
(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130529/PH21803-b )

HDL, Inc.'s Diabetes Prevention & Management Panel, or DPMP, uncovers early indicators for type 2 diabetes and offers physicians more advanced, specialized treatment options for the chronic condition. One in three American adults are prediabetic or diabetic, and diabetes alone accounts for 80 percent of all forms of cardiovascular disease. Heart disease is the leading cause of death and healthcare expenditure in the U.S.

While conventional measures for diabetes diagnosis only consider a spectrum of indicators such as glucose or HbA1c levels, HDL, Inc.'s DPMP has uncovered nearly one-third more patients who may be at risk for developing type 2 diabetes by looking at deeper, clinical manifestations of the condition.

"DPMP is a novel approach in the early diagnosis of prediabetes and diabetes, allowing us to look at targeted, comprehensive biomarkers, then institute early prevention and targeted therapy to prevent or reverse disease," said Tonya Mallory, HDL, Inc.'s President, CEO and Co-founder. "With early intervention before the detrimental effects of this disease takes root, Health Diagnostic Laboratory will reduce cardiometabolic morbidity and mortality in millions of people, cut healthcare costs, and save lives."

DPMP is a series of tests that in addition to glycemic control look at a patient's insulin resistance and beta cell functionality indicators, the underlying mechanisms that cause diabetes. DPMP allows practitioners to not only uncover early signs of the disease, but offer more specific therapeutic interventions based on the severity of insulin resistance, beta cell dysfunction, or both. In addition, the user-friendly, stoplight color-coded DPMP report motivates and positively engages patients to reverse their fight against the progression of disease.

While traditional methods of diagnosis uncover a little more than half of patients who are predisposed to diabetes, DPMP has found early signs of diabetes in 82 percent of those who are on track to become diabetic. Diabetes and cardiovascular disease make up one-third of the nation's healthcare bill, while the cost of prediabetes and diabetes is expected to rise from $200 billion per year to $500 billion per year by 2020, according to a UnitedHealth study. Risk factors for diabetes include obesity, inactivity, ethnicity, high blood pressure, and smoking; effects of diabetes include stroke, blindness, heart attack, sexual dysfunction, kidney disease, and amputation. Diabetes affects 25.8 million people in the U.S., or 8.3 percent of the population, according to the American Diabetes Association.

"Our nation is facing an epidemic never before seen with the rise of more overweight, obese and inactive Americans. These conditions along with more genetic indicatorsfound even in healthy peopleare primary risk factors for insulin resistance, which can lead to diabetes and associated vascular complications," said Tara Dall, M.D., HDL, Inc.'s Chief Medical Officer. "Insulin resistance is a clear forewarning for diabetes, and diabetes is a major risk factor for heart disease, so the creation of this panel was a natural extension of HDL's capabilities. With DPMP in our arsenal, Health Diagnostic Laboratory is set up to transform the care of patients who would otherwise one day be diagnosed with a life-threatening condition."

About Health Diagnostic Laboratory, Inc.
Health Diagnostic Laboratory, Inc. (HDL, Inc.) is a leader in health management offering a comprehensive test menu of risk factors and biomarkers for cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and related diseases. Founded in 2008, HDL, Inc.'s systematic approach identifies factors contributing to disease and provides a basis for effective treatment, allowing physicians to more effectively manage patients. Individuals receive a personalized overview of their risk factors along with intensive counseling from expert Clinical Health Consultants at no additional cost, improving compliance and enhancing satisfaction. HDL, Inc. is a CLIA-certified, CAP-accredited laboratory. For more information, visit myhdl.com.

SOURCE Health Diagnostic Laboratory, Inc.