Interim Results of First-Ever Global Survey Show People with Type 2 Diabetes Underestimate their Cardiovascular Risk

PR71414

ABU DHABI, UAE, Dec. 6, 2017 /PRNewswire=KYODO JBN/ --

- Globally, cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the most common cause of death in

people with type 2 diabetes[1]

- 1 in 3 respondents considered themselves to be at low risk of CVD[2]

- 1 in 6 respondents had never discussed type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular

risk with a healthcare professional[2]

- The Taking Diabetes to Heart global online survey for people with type 2

diabetes was presented at the IDF Congress 2017 in Abu Dhabi

Today the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) presented the interim results

of the first ever multi-country online survey on CVD risk awareness and

knowledge among people living with type 2 diabetes, indicating low levels of

awareness and limited dialogue between patients and healthcare professionals.

The global survey - Taking Diabetes to Heart - developed in partnership with

Novo Nordisk, runs until March 2018 and is open to all people with type 2

diabetes.

Diabetes currently affects 425 million adults worldwide[1], with most cases

being type 2 diabetes. Cardiovascular disease, which includes stroke, coronary

heart disease and peripheral artery disease[3], is the leading cause of

disability and death in people with type 2 diabetes[1],[4].

To date, 943 responses to the survey have been received from 32 countries and

interim findings show that:

- 1 in 3 respondents living with type 2 diabetes consider their risk of CVD to

be low[2]

- 26% of respondents had either never learned about CVD or received information

on CVD several years following their type 2 diabetes diagnosis[2]

- 1 in 6 respondents had never discussed their type 2 diabetes and CVD risk

with a healthcare professional[2]

"The interim results of Taking Diabetes to Heart reiterate the importance of

raising awareness of the association between type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular

disease to promote prevention, timely diagnosis and appropriate treatment to

help reduce the current burden that the two conditions represent," said Dr

Shaukat Sadikot, outgoing IDF President. "With the world facing an increase in

the prevalence of type 2 diabetes, better understanding the link between these

conditions is needed more than ever."

Taking Diabetes to Heart - http://www.idf.org/takingdiabetes2heart/survey -

aims to gather insights on current gaps in education and CVD risk behaviour

among people with type 2 diabetes, and to put in place advocacy and patient

support strategies and tactics to improve health and wellbeing among

populations.

"Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of disability and death among

people living with type 2 diabetes. Too few individuals with diabetes are being

informed by healthcare professionals of their cardiovascular risk and the

impact that risk may have on their longevity and quality of life," said Alan

Moses, senior vice president and chief medical officer of Novo Nordisk. "We

encourage more people in the diabetes community to complete the Taking Diabetes

to Heart survey to strengthen the global findings that will inform future

efforts to help improve outcomes."

The results of Taking Diabetes to Heart will serve to define the actions that

are required to improve the health outcomes of people with type 2 diabetes. The

initiative will culminate in a comprehensive report with country-specific

results and resources to help support knowledge and awareness of CVD among

people with type 2 diabetes around the world.

For more information about Taking Diabetes to Heart, visit

http://www.idf.org/takingdiabetes2heart. For more information about diabetes

and CVD, visit http://www.idf.org/cvd

About the International Diabetes Federation

The International Diabetes Federation (IDF) is an umbrella organisation of over

230 national diabetes associations in 165 countries and territories. It

represents the interests of the growing number of people with diabetes and

those at risk. The Federation has been leading the global diabetes community

since 1950. The Federation's activities aim to influence policy, increase

public awareness and encourage health improvement, promote the exchange of

high-quality information about diabetes, and provide education for people with

diabetes and their healthcare providers. IDF is associated with the Department

of Public Information of the United Nations and is in official relations with

the World Health Organization (WHO). http://www.idf.org.

About Novo Nordisk

Novo Nordisk is a global healthcare company with more than 90 years of

innovation and leadership in diabetes care. This heritage has given us

experience and capabilities that also enable us to help people defeat obesity,

haemophilia, growth disorders and other serious chronic diseases. Headquartered

in Denmark, Novo Nordisk employs approximately 41,700 people in 77 countries

and markets its products in more than 165 countries. For more information,

visit novonordisk.com, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube.

Taking Diabetes to Heart

Taking Diabetes to Heart - http://www.idf.org/takingdiabetes2heart - consists

of an online survey available in multiple languages, including Arabic,

Bulgarian, Chinese, Danish, Dutch, English, French, Filipino, Finnish, German,

Hindi, Italian, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Swahili and Vietnamese. The

survey will remain online until March 2018. Results from the survey will be

used to inform policy and decision-making around this common and serious

complication of diabetes.[2],[3]

Further information

Media:

Katrine Sperling        +45 4442 6718   krsp@novonordisk.com

Asa Josefsson           +45 3079 7708   aajf@novonordisk.com

Investors:

Peter Hugreffe Ankersen +45 3075 9085   phak@novonordisk.com

Hanna Ogren             +45 3079 8519   haoe@novonordisk.com

Anders Mikkelsen        +45 3079 4461   armk@novonordisk.com

Christina Kjaer         +45 3079 3009   cnje@novonordisk.com

Kasper Veje (US)        +1 609 235 8567 kpvj@novonordisk.com

IDF Media:

Lorenzo Piemonte        +32 495 797 936 lorenzo.piemonte@idf.org

Suvi Karuranga          +32 267 955 88  suvi.karuranga@idf.org

References

1. International Diabetes Federation. IDF Diabetes Atlas, 8th Edition.

Brussels, Belgium: International Diabetes Federation, 2017. Available at:

http://www.diabetesatlas.org

2. International Diabetes Federation, 2017. Taking Diabetes to Heart - Global

IDF survey on CVD risk awareness among people with diabetes. Available at:

http://www.idf.org/takingdiabetes2heart

3. International Diabetes Federation. Diabetes and Cardiovascular Disease.

Brussels, Belgium: International Diabetes Federation, 2016. Available at:

http://www.idf.org/cvd

4. World Health Organization, editor. Global health risks: mortality and burden

of disease attributable to selected major risks. Geneva, Switzerland: World

Health Organization; 2009. 62p.

SOURCE: Novo Nordisk