Study Shows Eighty Percent of Diabetics may Suffer From Cardiovascular Disease

SÃO PAULO, BRAZIL – A study carried out by EndoDebate in partnership with Revista Sade showed that 80 percent of people with type 2 diabetes have evidence of cardiovascular weakness. More than half (52 percent) report at least two of these symptoms: dizziness, chest and leg pain, shortness of breath, and palpitations.

Entitled “When Diabetes Touches the Heart,” the study was launched in June by Novo Nordisk laboratory and released this week. The survey interviewed 1,439 people with and without type 2 diabetes, aged between 47 and 55.

The survey showed that 64 percent of diabetics do not strictly follow treatment, and only 48 percent of patients regard the disease as very serious.

Diabetes emerges behind cancer (92 percent), stroke (79 percent), heart attack (75 percent), Alzheimer’s disease (74 percent), kidney failure (70 percent), and heart failure (56 percent) as a cause of death.

“Heart care is one of the greatest challenges in diabetic patients. We face challenging goals in the 21st century that go beyond the control of blood glucose, which is critical to the treatment of type 2 diabetes. All this includes reducing weight and the risk of hypoglycemia and improving safety from a cardiovascular standpoint,” said Carlos Eduardo Barra Couri, endocrinologist, and founder of EndoDebate, an event that occurred until Saturday, July 20th, in São Paulo.

Lack of awareness

Questioned as to the first thing people consider when thinking about heart conditions, 662 respondents mentioned a heart attack; 159 said death; 39, hypertension; 25, stroke.

Diabetes came last. Among diabetics, 61 percent said they believe the disease is among the risk factors for cardiovascular problems, compared to 42 percent among non-diabetics. In both groups, high blood pressure comes first, followed by high cholesterol and high triglycerides.

For 60 percent of people with type 2 diabetes, the doctor reported inadequate information or did not even mention the heart issues at the last appointment to control diabetes.

Although 62 percent of these patients have been diagnosed for at least five years, 90 percent say they still lack further information during treatment.

Despite the severity of the disease, the research also showed a limited perception of the risks associated with type 2 diabetes. In all, 64 percent of diabetic respondents do not follow the treatment to the fullest extent.

According to the research partner laboratory, 13 million people live with type 1 or type 2 diabetes in Brazil. Of this total, it is estimated that 90 percent suffer from type 2 diabetes, in which the pancreas produces insufficient insulin or does not act appropriately to lower blood glucose.

It is most common in obese adults and people with a family history of type 2 diabetes. Almost half of those suffering from type 2 diabetes are unaware of their disease. Besides, two out of every three diabetes-related deaths are caused by cardiovascular disease.