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Houston's Diabetes Health May Be in Jeopardy: 70% of Type 2 Diabetics in a Study Missed Blood Sugar Target

Posted on: Thursday, 1 December 2005, 09:00 CST

HOUSTON, Dec. 1 /PRNewswire/ -- New data released today revealed that from 2003 to 2004, over 70% of type 2 diabetics in Houston who were analyzed in a recent study were not in control of their blood sugar - failing to meet the A1C goal of 6.5% or less, according to the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists' (AACE's) "State of Diabetes in America" Report. Calling Houston residents into action, a proclamation declaring the week of November 28 as "Diabetes Control Week" has been issued by Mayor Bill White, and free A1C testing for people with type 2 diabetes will be offered at the Galleria Mall (5085 Westheimer Rd. in the Saks Fifth Avenue/Macy's Court, located on the Street Level) on Saturday, December 3rd from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Approximately 1,184,000 people in Texas are diagnosed with diabetes. Type 2 diabetes, the most common form of diabetes, accounts for 90 to 95% of all diagnosed diabetes cases. The A1C test, typically taken in a healthcare professional's office, measures a person's average blood sugar levels over the previous two to three months. It complements the daily blood sugar monitoring that type 2 diabetics conduct on their own. AACE recommends an A1C target level of 6.5% or less to ensure good diabetes management. This is important since every 1% increase above 6% elevates a person's risk of serious - and potentially life-threatening - diabetes-related complications, such as stroke, heart attack and loss of limbs.

"Despite major advances in diabetes care and the variety of tools available to help people with type 2 diabetes manage their condition, this Report suggests that Houston's type 2 diabetes population may be struggling to control their blood sugar levels," said Jeffrey S. Brown, MD, FACE, Clinical Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine at the University of Texas Medical School at Houston. "Type 2 diabetes is of urgent concern and these findings must serve as a wake-up call that more needs to be done to help manage type 2 diabetes and lower A1C levels in Houston. We need to provide people with the right tools and encouragement to take control."

In addition to getting the free A1C test, AACE is urging Houston residents with type 2 diabetes to join others in taking an "oath" to better manage their diabetes. For more information and to receive a free diabetes-friendly cookbook and brochure, residents can visit http://www.stateofdiabetes.com/ or call (800) 704-4694.

"This week is an important week for all Houstonians," said state Senator Rodney Ellis (D-Houston). "Type 2 diabetes is a serious health concern for our city and our state, but the good news is that we can do something about it. I urge all people affected by Type 2 diabetes to take advantage of this free test. The message is very clear--residents of Houston must do a better job of controlling their blood sugar levels, and taking action during "Diabetes Control Week" is a great way to start."

About A1C

The "State of Diabetes in America" Report offers critical information about blood sugar control throughout the United States, as measured by the A1C test. It is important that type 2 diabetics speak with their doctor or other healthcare professional about setting their own personal A1C goal. Meal planning, regular physical activity, and if needed, medicine, alone or in combination, are the cornerstones to achieving A1C goals. When diet and exercise alone are not enough to reach A1C goals, one or more medications may be prescribed to help control blood sugar levels.

About the Campaign

The "State of Diabetes in America: Striving for Better Control" public awareness campaign is designed to improve diabetes management in the U.S. by providing type 2 diabetics the tools to help them control blood sugar levels and giving them an easy-to-understand "road map" for successful diabetes management. The key principles of the campaign center around what type 2 diabetics can do to get their blood sugar numbers down.

About the Campaign Sponsors

AACE is a professional medical organization consisting of over 5,200 practicing clinical endocrinologists devoted to furthering patient care in the field of endocrinology. AACE is committed to transforming the lives of patients by enabling one another to practice leading edge, proactive, ethical and cost effective medicine. All members of AACE are fully licensed physicians and fully trained in endocrinology. The majority are board certified in internal medicine and subspecialty certified in adult or pediatric endocrinology. AACE members are recognized clinicians and educators, and many are affiliated with medical schools and universities. Members contribute on a regular and continuing basis to the scientific literature on endocrine diseases and conduct medical education programs on this subject.

For more information on AACE, please visit http://www.aace.com/ or http://www.powerofprevention.com/.

GlaxoSmithKline has provided funding and other support to AACE for the "State of Diabetes in America: Striving for Better Control" campaign. GlaxoSmithKline, one of the world's leading research-based pharmaceutical and healthcare companies, is committed to improving the quality of human life by enabling people to do more, feel better and live longer.

Note to Editor: Data for the Report were provided by Surveillance Data Inc. (SDI), the leading provider of real-time localized illness tracking and modeling data to the healthcare industry. To obtain a full copy of the Report, please contact Lisa Martins from Cohn & Wolfe at (212) 798-9819.

American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists

CONTACT: Sarah Bradley of American Association of ClinicalEndocrinologists, +1-904-353-7878 Ext. 136; or Lisa Martins of Cohn & WolfeHealthcare, +1-212-798-9819

Web site: http://www.aace.com/http://www.powerofprevention.com/

Source: PRNewswire

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