National Survey Finds Weight Gain, Patient-Provider Communication and New Medical Options Critical Factors for Controlling Type
November 10 2005 - 7:00AM
PR Newswire (US)
-- Survey Designed to Identify Solutions to Growing Incidence of
Uncontrolled Disease -- MINNEAPOLIS, SAN DIEGO and INDIANAPOLIS,
Nov. 10 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Despite the introduction of a
range of new diabetes treatments in recent years, results from a
nationwide survey released today showed that more than 50 percent
of patients with type 2 diabetes describe their health as "poor" or
"fair," and more than 25 percent say that their health has worsened
during the past year. The International Diabetes Center (IDC),
Amylin Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Eli Lilly and Company sponsored
the survey, which polled more than 600 patients with diabetes and
more than 400 primary care physicians (PCPs) in the United States.
The findings from both patients and physicians underscore the
desire and need for new therapies to help control blood sugar.
These same results suggest that such therapies should ideally
minimize side effects associated with other diabetes treatments,
such as hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) and weight gain. These and
other findings from the survey demonstrate that both patients with
type 2 diabetes and their healthcare providers feel they lack the
tools needed to successfully treat and manage diabetes over
time.(i) Improving these tools -- and improving control of diabetes
-- can significantly limit the devastating consequences of poor
glucose control. According to the American Diabetes Association,
diabetes is the sixth-leading cause of death in the U.S. If not
managed carefully over time, the disease can lead to such
complications as heart disease, kidney failure, blindness and lower
limb amputations. "We know that a significant fraction of type 2
diabetes patients in this country have inadequate blood sugar
control," said Dr. Richard Bergenstal, executive director at IDC in
Minneapolis, Minn. "We conducted this survey to shed some light on
why these patients are having difficulty managing their diabetes
using currently available treatments. We also hoped to shed light
on how we might solve this problem." Getting the Right Treatment
According to both physicians and patients, there is a need for new
diabetes medications that can help control blood sugar without
causing weight gain. Eighty-eight percent of patients and 92
percent of physicians surveyed felt there was a need for better
treatment options. Sixty percent of patients said they would be
interested in trying new diabetes medications, while 62 percent of
physicians said that they would prescribe new diabetes medications
as soon as they became available. The vast majority of diabetes
patients (86 percent) would like to make an improvement to their
current diabetes regimen. Based on the survey findings, physicians
are more amenable to changing treatment regimens when needed, but
may be overestimating patients' fear of needles. Eighty-seven
percent of physicians said that their patients are afraid of
needles; however, only 36 percent of patients expressed such a
fear. "Treating diabetes is a full-time commitment that requires a
significant support system for the patient. Doctors, nurses, family
members and friends all play crucial roles in helping patients
manage the disease," said Dr. Bergenstal. "A variety of treatment
options is also crucial. There is no simple solution to this
complex disease." Lifestyle, Weight Gain and the Diabetes Patient
Despite the fact that 45 percent of patients surveyed were obese
and virtually all patients acknowledged that diet and exercise is
important to managing diabetes, the survey confirmed that diet and
exercise alone are not successfully incorporated into their
management regimen. In addition, both patients and physicians
expressed frustration with the weight gain that occurs with the use
of several popular diabetes therapies. In fact, about three in five
patients are somewhat dissatisfied with weight gain due to their
current diabetes medication. Communicating So It Counts Controlling
type 2 diabetes requires more than just making lifestyle changes
and taking medication. Effective patient-doctor communication is
also necessary.(ii) While the survey found that regular discussions
about a patient's disease management plan and goals were highly
valued by both providers and their patients, there appeared to be
several gaps in communication during these conversations.
Ninety-nine percent of the physicians surveyed said they give their
typical patient with type 2 diabetes target hemoglobin A1C (A1C)
level, which is a measure of a person's average blood sugar over a
three-month period. However 37 percent of patients stated that
their physicians have never told them what their A1C target should
be. More than 80 percent of physicians said that they bring up
changing their patients' diabetes management plan. However a little
more than a third of patients (37 percent) said they have never
discussed changing their plan with their physician or healthcare
provider. Dr. Bergenstal explained, "There is a balance between
informing your patients and burdening them with too much
information. The complicated nature of many diabetes treatment
regimens makes it difficult to assess what information patients
need to empower them to manage the disease most effectively." What
It All Means In terms of how this data can be most effective, Dr.
Bergenstal from IDC stated, "These survey findings shed light on
how we as health care professionals can better connect with our
patients. Knowing how they feel about their diabetes control and
understanding their preferences can help them manage their disease
more effectively. These results show us the importance of clear
communication between patients and their doctors. These discussions
will allow patients to set realistic goals and talk to their
providers about the most effective medications for their diabetes.
Clearly patients are seeking safer, more effective therapies --
that not only control blood sugar levels but also limit the risk of
weight gain and hypoglycemia." Diabetes therapies are evolving, and
new advances may help patients and physicians manage the condition.
As researchers continue to explore diabetes physiology and patient
needs, more pharmaceutical possibilities will be identified and
developed to help people with type 2 diabetes get control over the
disease. Survey Methodology Harris Interactive conducted two online
surveys on behalf of the International Diabetes Center which were
underwritten by Amylin Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Eli Lilly and
Company. Between Sept. 6 and 20, 2005, Harris Interactive surveyed
636 U.S. adults aged 18 and over who had been diagnosed with type 2
diabetes by a health care provider. The data were weighted to be
representative of the total U.S. adult population age with type 2
diabetes on the basis of age within gender, education, household
income, race/ethnicity, region, and propensity to be online. In
theory, with probability samples of this size, one can say with 95
percent certainty that the overall results have a sampling error of
plus or minus six percentage points of what they would be if the
entire U.S. adult population aged 18 and over with type 2 diabetes
had been polled with complete accuracy. Sampling error for the
sub-samples of Hispanics and African Americans varies and is
higher. This online sample is not a probability sample. Harris
Interactive also conducted a companion survey from Sept. 6 to 9,
2005, among 409 U.S. primary care physicians (PCPs) who see at
least one patient with type 2 diabetes per month. These data were
weighted based on years in practice within gender and region using
targets for PCPs in general. Since 97 percent of the primary care
physicians responding to this survey met the additional
qualification of seeing at least one patient with type 2 diabetes
per month, the population of PCPs interviewed for this study is
considered to be quite similar to the general populations of PCPs,
and thus are weighted to targets for that group. In theory, with
probability samples of this size, one can say with 95 percent
certainty that the overall results have a sampling error of plus or
minus six percentage points of what they would be if the entire
U.S. population of PCPs had been polled with complete accuracy.
This online sample is not a probability sample. Sampling error is
determined by sample size and by a design effect due to weighting.
Weighting ensures that the data collected is representative of the
total population, in this case physicians and type 2 diabetes
patients. Also, while sampling error applies to the total sample,
in specific cases where the question is asked of a subset of
respondents, the sampling error will vary. About IDC International
Diabetes Center at Park Nicollet provides world-class diabetes
care, education and clinical research to meet the needs of people
with diabetes, their families and the health professionals who care
for them. Located in Minneapolis, the center is recognized
internationally for its range of clinical and educational programs,
products and services. International Diabetes Center is part of
Park Nicollet Institute, a division of Park Nicollet Health
Services. For more information, visit
http://www.internationaldiabetescenter.com/. About Amylin and Lilly
Amylin Pharmaceuticals is a biopharmaceutical company committed to
improving lives through the discovery, development and
commercialization of innovative medicines. Further information on
Amylin Pharmaceuticals, its marketed products, and its pipeline in
metabolism is available at http://www.amylin.com/. Through a
long-standing commitment to diabetes care, Lilly provides patients
with breakthrough treatments that enable them to live longer,
healthier and fuller lives. Since 1923, Lilly has been the industry
leader in pioneering therapies to help health care professionals
improve the lives of people with diabetes, and research continues
on innovative medicines to address the unmet needs of patients. For
more information about Lilly's current diabetes products visit
http://www.lillydiabetes.com/. Lilly, a leading innovation-driven
corporation, is developing a growing portfolio of first-in-class
and best-in-class pharmaceutical products by applying the latest
research from its own worldwide laboratories and from
collaborations with eminent scientific organizations. Headquartered
in Indianapolis, Ind., Lilly provides answers -- through medicines
and information -- for some of the world's most urgent medical
needs. Additional information about Lilly is available at
http://www.lilly.com/. P-LLY About Harris Interactive Harris
Interactive Inc. (http://www.harrisinteractive.com/) is the 13th
largest and fastest-growing market research firm in the world,
perhaps best known for The Harris Poll(R) and for pioneering and
engineering Internet-based research methods. The Rochester, New
York-based global research company blends premier strategic
consulting with innovative and efficient methods of investigation,
analysis and application, conducting proprietary and public
research globally to help clients achieve clear, material and
enduring results. Blending science and art, Harris Interactive
combines its intellectual capital and one of the world's largest
online panels of respondents, with premier Internet survey
technology and sophisticated research methods to market leadership
through its US, Europe (http://www.harrisinteractive.com/europe)
and Asia offices, its wholly owned subsidiary, Novatris in Paris
(http://www.novatris.com/), and through an independent global
network of affiliate market research companies. EOE M/F/D/V (i)
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Diabetes Fact
Sheet, 2005. (ii) CDC, National Diabetes Fact Sheet, 2005. (Photo:
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20051110/DETH003-a
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20051110/DETH003-b
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20051110/DETH003-c
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20040122/LILLYAMYLINLOGO
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20051110/DETH003-a
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20051110/DETH003-b
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20051110/DETH003-c
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20040122/LILLYAMYLINLOGO
DATASOURCE: Lilly Amylin; International Diabetes Center CONTACT:
Jamaison Schuler of Lilly, +1-317-655-2111; or Steven McCarthy of
IDC, +1-952-993-6726
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