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Hospitalized Patients Need Better Care; First Time 2 Major Medical Organizations Join Forces to Combat Critical Problem in Hospitals

Posted on: Tuesday, 31 January 2006, 09:01 CST

News Advisory:

WHAT: Hospitalized patients and their families need to be aware that uncontrolled high blood sugar can lead to an increased risk of infection, complications, length of hospital stay, health care costs and even death. It is critical for hospitalized patients to maintain proper blood sugar levels in order to avoid these outcomes, according to the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE) and the American Diabetes Association (ADA). The AACE and ADA will hold a media conference to discuss new strategies developed at a two day meeting, Jan. 30 - 31, for hospitals to implement intensive insulin therapy, an aggressive management system to avoid many of these outcomes. More information can be found at http:// www.aace.com

WHEN: Feb. 1, 10 a.m. ET

WHERE: Marriott at Metro Center, 775 12th Street NW, Washington, DC.

Journalists can also access the press conference remotely via audiocast at http://www.visualwebcaster.com/ event.asp?id(equal)31660B.d(equal)n. (Editors: The URL above may contain extra spaces or text equivalents of non-transmitting characters. Copy and paste into your Internet browser, removing extra spaces, etc.)

WHY: High blood sugar levels put hospitalized patients in danger. Patients and their families need to know their risk for unmanaged blood sugar-related death or disability.

-- Nearly 21 million Americans have diabetes; one in three people are unaware of their condition.

-- Patients with diabetes need to be well aware of its consequences especially when they are hospitalized.

-- Also at risk are people who develop high blood sugar because of the stress of their illness.

-- Diabetes is the sixth leading cause of death by disease in America

-- Stroke patients with high blood sugar are more likely to die or have permanent disability than stroke patients with normal blood sugar levels

-- Heart attack patients with high blood sugar in the hospital are also more likely to suffer complications than those with normal blood sugar.

WHO:

-- Vivian Fonseca, M.D., FACE, ADA co-chair medical director, Tulane Hospital Professor of Medicine and Pharmacology, Tullis Tulane Alumni Chair in Diabetes, chief, Section of Endocrinology, Tulane University Health Sciences Center

-- Alan J. Garber, M.D., Ph.D., FACE, AACE co-chair, professor, Departments of Medicine, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, and Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine

-- Etie S. Moghissi, M.D., FACE, AACE co-chair, medical director of the Diabetes Care Center, Centinela Freeman HealthSystem, Los Angeles

AACE is a professional medical organization with more than 5200 members in the United States and 84 other countries. Founded in 1991, AACE is dedicated to the optimal care of patients with endocrine problems, including thyroid disorders.

The ADA is the nation's leading nonprofit health organization providing diabetes research, information and advocacy. Founded in 1940, the ADA conducts programs in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, reaching hundreds of communities. The ADA mission is to prevent and cure diabetes and to improve the lives of all people affected by diabetes. To fulfill this mission, the ADA funds research, publishes scientific findings, provides information and other services to people with diabetes, their families, health professionals and the public. The Association is also actively involved in advocating for scientific research and for the rights of people with diabetes.

RSVP:

-- On-site attendance: email sbradley(At)aace.com or Elizabeth Garman at elizabeth.garman(At)mslpr.com.

-- Audiocast attendance: use the following link: http:// www.visualwebcaster.com/event.asp?id(equal)31660B.d(equal)n. (Editors: The URL above may contain extra spaces or text equivalents of non-transmitting characters. Copy and paste into your Internet browser, removing extra spaces, etc.) The audiocast also will be archived for a 30-day period.

http://www.usnewswire.com

Source: U.S. Newswire

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