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Diabetics need to know more about associated health risks

Practices for avoiding cardiovascular problems are less familiar to patients with diabetes than is control of blood glucose levels.

By Susan J. Landers, amednews staff. March 11, 2002.

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Washington -- A physician's role as educator is well-accepted, but patients with diabetes seem to have missed an important lesson. Most are unaware that heart disease and stroke are their greatest health risks, according to a new survey commissioned by the American Diabetes Assn. and the American College of Cardiology.

Three-quarters of the 2,000 surveyed people with diabetes reported having risk factors associated with cardiovascular disease, such as high blood pressure or high cholesterol, but they failed to relate these problems to their diabetes.

"This research clearly illustrates the gap between perception and reality," said Christopher D. Saudek, MD, president of the diabetes organization. "The harsh reality is that if you have diabetes, you have a two to four times greater likelihood of having a heart attack than if you do not have diabetes," he said.

"Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, and diabetes is a major risk factor for developing diseases of the heart and blood vessels," added W. Bruce Fye, MD, president-elect of the American College of Cardiology.

Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson announced the survey results on Feb. 19.

Thompson has made the prevention of diabetes a priority during his first year as HHS secretary. He explained that the disorder has a personal side for him as his father had diabetes, was overweight and died young following a heart attack.

"More than 16 million Americans have diabetes and the figure is growing at an alarming rate," he said. Last summer, HHS released results from the Diabetes Prevention Program, a clinical trial involving more than 3,000 people. [...]