Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist (CDCES) Practice Exam

For a patient with well-controlled Type 2 Diabetes who has no comorbidities, which screening is not required annually?

1. A1c

2. Comprehensive foot exam

3. Dilated eye exam

4. Fasting lipid profile

The correct answer is: A1c

In the management of Type 2 Diabetes, certain screenings are recommended at varying intervals based on clinical guidelines. The A1c test, which measures average blood glucose levels over the past two to three months, is typically conducted at least twice a year for patients whose diabetes is well controlled. This is sufficient for monitoring purposes, as more frequent testing does not provide additional benefits unless there are significant changes in diabetes management or if the patient is not meeting glycemic targets. In contrast, other screenings such as the comprehensive foot exam, dilated eye exam, and fasting lipid profile have different recommended frequencies. The foot exam is conducted annually to assess the risk of diabetic foot complications. The dilated eye exam is also recommended annually in patients with diabetes to check for diabetic retinopathy and other ocular conditions, given the risk of vision impairment. The fasting lipid profile is generally assessed at least annually to evaluate cardiovascular risk factors, especially since diabetes significantly increases the likelihood of cardiovascular disease. Therefore, since the A1c testing does not need to be performed annually for a patient with well-controlled Type 2 Diabetes, this makes it the correct choice in this context.