Diabetics have much higher risk of death: report

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Diabetics have much higher risk of death: report

NEW YORK, Jun 08 (Reuters Health) - Diabetics--regardless of their age or

income--are at much greater risk of dying during a given time period

compared with those without the condition, UK researchers said on Thursday.

The mortality risk was greatest for those with type 1 diabetes, and even the

most affluent diabetic patients had a greater risk of death than their

poorer, non-diabetic neighbors, according to a study of diabetics living in

northern England. The report is published in the June 9th issue of the

British Medical Journal.

Overall, nearly one quarter of those with diabetes died during the 6-year

study, a death rate more than twice the national average. A man or woman

diagnosed with diabetes by the age of 40 had their life expectancy reduced

by 8 years.

" The majority of the mortality was the result of vascular disease, for which

proven, effective interventions exist, " Dr. Nick A. Roper of Middlesbrough

General Hospital in Middlesbrough, UK, told Reuters Health.

" The major message therefore is to increase the take up rates for

interventions: smoking cessation, exercise, healthy diet, aspirin treatment,

blood pressure treatment, cholesterol treatment and good blood glucose

control. "

Type 1 diabetes, which usually is diagnosed in children or young adults,

requires daily injections of the blood sugar-regulating hormone insulin for

survival. Type 2 diabetes, which is more often diagnosed in adulthood, can

sometimes be controlled with diet and exercise, although some people require

oral medication or insulin shots to control blood sugar. In general,

diabetes increases the risk of circulatory problems, blindness and heart

disease.

In the study, the researchers looked at nearly 5,000 diabetics living in

South Tees, in northern England, and followed them for 6 years, tracking

their mortality rates. The investigators then compared those death rates to

those among their non-diabetic neighbors and the rest of England and Wales.

The risk of death among the most affluent fifth of the diabetics was

slightly higher than the death rate of those without diabetes. However, the

death rate continued to rise significantly as the level of poverty

increased. The poorest group of diabetic patients had more than twice the

death rate of non-diabetics.

" The extent of the reduction in life expectancy was significant, " Roper

said.

The main cause of death among the diabetics was heart disease, leading the

researchers to suggest that patients with those risk factors should be

treated more aggressively.

In an accompanying editorial, Gareth , a professor of medicine at

the University Hospital Aintree in Liverpool, noted that the rise in type 2,

or adult-onset, diabetes can be mainly attributed to obesity. Sadly, he

writes, counteracting the growing " obesity pandemic " will be resisted by

" the manufacturers of cars, televisions, computer games, fizzy drinks and

fast foods. "

SOURCE: British Medical Journal 2001;322:1389-1393, 1375-1376.