Many patients search for “ADA/EASD 2025 diabetes guidelines.” It is important to understand the wording correctly.
The most recent joint ADA/EASD consensus report on managing high blood sugar in type 2 diabetes is the 2022 ADA/EASD consensus report. The American Diabetes Association Standards of Care are updated every year, including the 2025 Standards of Care and, now, the 2026 Standards of Care.
This page explains what patients should understand from the ADA 2025 Standards together with the continuing ADA/EASD patient-centered approach. For personal treatment decisions today, your doctor should use the most current guideline version.
There is not a separate new ADA/EASD hyperglycaemia consensus report for 2025. The official ADA/EASD consensus report for type 2 diabetes hyperglycaemia management was published in 2022.
The ADA did publish its annual Standards of Care in Diabetes—2025. These recommendations continue the same modern direction: type 2 diabetes care is not only about lowering glucose. It should also consider heart health, kidney health, body weight, hypoglycemia risk, medication safety, cost, daily life, and patient preferences.
Patients should use guidelines to ask better questions, not to change medicines alone. Do not start, stop, or change metformin, insulin, GLP-1 medicines, SGLT2 inhibitors, sulfonylureas, or supplements without medical advice.
Written by Dr. Albana Greca, MD, MMedSc, Family Physician and Medical Author.
Endocrinology review recommended before publication by Dr. Ruden Cakoni, MD, Endocrinologist, because this page discusses diabetes guideline interpretation and medication classes.
The safest answer is: not exactly.
The ADA and EASD published a major joint consensus report in 2022 about managing hyperglycaemia in type 2 diabetes. That consensus report is still the key ADA/EASD reference listed by EASD for this topic.
Separately, the ADA publishes the Standards of Care in Diabetes every year. The 2025 Standards of Care included updated ADA recommendations, while the 2026 Standards are now the current ADA Standards as of this page review.
So when a patient sees “ADA/EASD guidelines 2025,” the careful explanation is:
The ADA/EASD approach is practical. It says diabetes treatment should be personalized. Two people can have the same HbA1c but need different treatment because their heart, kidneys, weight, age, risk of low blood sugar, costs, and preferences may be different.
This is why your doctor may not choose medication based only on one glucose number. Your full health picture matters.
Blood sugar control remains important, but modern diabetes care also asks:
For blood sugar targets and daily readings, see blood sugar levels by time of day and HbA1c explained.
For people with type 2 diabetes and certain heart or kidney risks, medication choice may be influenced by benefits beyond glucose lowering.
Doctors may consider medicines such as SGLT2 inhibitors or GLP-1 receptor agonists when there is established cardiovascular disease, heart failure, chronic kidney disease, or high cardiovascular risk. The exact choice depends on kidney function, side effects, cost, availability, and the patient’s medical history.
Patients with kidney disease should not choose these medicines on their own. Use depends on eGFR, urine albumin, other medicines, hydration status, illness, and product labeling.
Helpful resources: diabetes and kidney health, diabetes and heart failure, and diabetes medications: benefits and side effects.
Weight management is not about blame. It is about reducing insulin resistance, improving glucose control, and protecting long-term health when weight is contributing to type 2 diabetes.
For some people, food changes, activity, sleep improvement, and weight loss can improve blood sugar significantly. For others, medication or bariatric/metabolic surgery may be discussed depending on BMI, health risks, and local guidelines.
Related tools: BMI and waist-to-height calculator and what is insulin resistance?
Metformin is still commonly used and remains appropriate for many patients. But modern guidelines also emphasize that some patients need medicines chosen for heart, kidney, weight, or hypoglycemia considerations.
Examples include:
| Medication group | Why it may be considered | Important cautions |
|---|---|---|
| Metformin | Common first-line medicine for many people with type 2 diabetes. | Kidney function and gastrointestinal side effects should be reviewed. |
| GLP-1 receptor agonists | May help glucose control and weight management; some have cardiovascular benefit. | May cause nausea and are not suitable for everyone. |
| SGLT2 inhibitors | May help selected patients with heart failure or chronic kidney disease. | Can increase risk of genital infections, dehydration, and rare ketoacidosis. Sick-day advice is important. |
| Sulfonylureas | Can lower glucose and may be lower cost. | Can cause low blood sugar and weight gain in some patients. |
| Insulin | Important when glucose is very high, symptoms are present, or insulin deficiency is significant. | Dose, timing, injection technique, and hypoglycemia prevention must be taught carefully. |
Read more: type 2 diabetes treatments and new diabetes medications.
Continuous glucose monitoring, or CGM, can help some patients see glucose patterns that finger-stick readings may miss. It can be especially useful for people using insulin, people with frequent low blood sugar, people with wide glucose swings, or patients who need help understanding overnight and after-meal patterns.
CGM is not necessary for every patient, and access depends on medical need, cost, and local coverage. Even with CGM, some situations still require finger-stick confirmation.
Helpful pages: diabetes home testing and blood sugar log sheet.
Medication is only one part of diabetes care. The ADA/EASD patient-centered approach also supports:
Helpful pages: foods and drinks for diabetes blood sugar control, diabetes and exercise, and diabetes complications.
Lower blood sugar is not always better if the treatment causes dangerous lows. Hypoglycemia can cause shakiness, sweating, confusion, falls, fainting, seizures, or loss of consciousness.
Older adults, people with kidney disease, people taking insulin or sulfonylureas, and people with irregular meals may need special care to avoid low blood sugar.
Read more: is my blood sugar too high or too low? and dangerous blood sugar levels.
Use this page as a discussion guide. At your next visit, ask:
Guidelines are written for clinicians and must be applied to the individual patient. Do not stop metformin, insulin, GLP-1 receptor agonists, SGLT2 inhibitors, sulfonylureas, blood pressure medicines, cholesterol medicines, or supplements without discussing it with your healthcare provider.
Seek urgent medical help for vomiting, dehydration, confusion, severe weakness, chest pain, breathing difficulty, severe abdominal pain, fruity-smelling breath, moderate or large ketones, severe low blood sugar, or very high blood sugar that is not coming down.
The main message is this:
The ADA/EASD approach has moved diabetes care beyond glucose numbers alone. A modern type 2 diabetes plan should protect blood sugar, heart health, kidney health, weight, safety, and quality of life. The best treatment is the one matched to the patient, not simply the newest medicine or the lowest glucose number.
Educational safety note: This page explains diabetes guidelines for patient education only. It does not replace personal medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Do not start, stop, or change diabetes medication, insulin, supplements, diet, or exercise plans without speaking with your healthcare provider.
Not exactly. The most recent joint ADA/EASD consensus report for managing high blood sugar in type 2 diabetes was published in 2022. The ADA Standards of Care are updated every year, including the 2025 Standards and the newer 2026 Standards.
The ADA/EASD consensus report is a joint expert report focused mainly on managing hyperglycaemia in type 2 diabetes. The ADA Standards of Care are broader annual clinical recommendations that cover diagnosis, blood sugar targets, medications, complications, pregnancy, children, older adults, technology, and prevention.
Person-centered diabetes care means the treatment plan should fit the patient, not just the glucose number. Your doctor should consider HbA1c, heart health, kidney health, body weight, risk of low blood sugar, medication side effects, cost, daily routine, culture, and personal preferences.
No. Blood sugar control is still important. The modern message is that diabetes care should also protect the heart, kidneys, nerves, eyes, feet, and quality of life. A lower glucose number is not always better if the treatment causes dangerous low blood sugar or serious side effects.
Yes. Metformin remains commonly used and is still appropriate for many people with type 2 diabetes. However, some patients may need other medicines earlier because of heart disease, kidney disease, weight concerns, very high blood sugar, side effects, or individual treatment goals.
No. These medicines can be very helpful for selected patients, especially when heart disease, kidney disease, heart failure, weight management, or cardiovascular risk is part of the treatment decision. They are not suitable for everyone and must be chosen by a healthcare professional.
No. Do not stop or change insulin, metformin, sulfonylureas, GLP-1 medicines, SGLT2 inhibitors, or any prescribed treatment because of a guideline summary online. Guidelines must be applied to your personal medical history, blood sugar pattern, kidney function, side effects, and risk factors.
Ask about your personal HbA1c target, heart and kidney risk, urine albumin test, kidney function, weight goals, low blood sugar risk, medication side effects, CGM or home monitoring, and whether your current treatment still matches your health needs.
Last reviewed: July 2026. This page should be updated again when new ADA Standards or a new ADA/EASD consensus report is published.