(Entertainment-NewsWire.com, October 26, 2012 ) San Francisco, CA- The major cost concern regarding diabetes is the increased costs over time as complications worsen. This according to Dr. Mary Angelyn Bethel, and endocrinologist and deputy director of the Diabetes Trials Unit at Churchill Hospital.
“However, diabetes care is gradually getting better with steady improvement in both diabetes management and the consequences of that management,” says Bethel.
“It’s all about recognizing and addressing the complexities of diabetes management,” she added, while at a symposium hosted by Julphar Diabetes in Dubai.
The affair was attended by over 100 major healthcare decision-makers in the Mena region.
Dr. Bethel spoke on glucose control and managing cardiovascular risks, saying: ““Glucose control significantly lessens the chances of minor and major CVD complications in people with diabetes. The micro risks include damage to the retina, kidney and nerves that could result in amputation and the macro risks include coronary artery disease and stroke.
She added, “Controlling glucose metabolism has been a constant goal over the years. CVD risk management makes a large difference in the lives of diabetics.
Dr. Bethel emphasizes a focus on awareness programs that focus practical issues that face those in the field of diabetic care. Type 2 diabetes efforts can be focused on prevention, which include identification of high-risk individuals, and encouraging weight control and exercise.
The deputy director for Clinical Research and Academic Programs at the Diabetes Research Institute, Dr. Jay S. Skyler, also spoke at the symposium.
Dr. Skyler spoke on “Future Approaches to diabetes”, stating: “Diabetes is a growing global problem and the Middle East has its own specific challenges in dealing with this disease which need to be addressed by healthcare providers on a local level,” he said.
“Several potential approaches are being attempted to slow the autoimmune progression of Type 1 diabetes in newly diagnosed patients with varying degrees of success,” he added.
“Several studies are being conducted in various phases in which the researchers are testing things in new-onset Type 1 diabetes to see whether or not they modify the course of the disease and to gain insights as to which ones are safe enough for prevention studies,” elaborated Dr. Skyler.
Dr. Skylar also notes the importance of identifying high-risk candidates for Type 1 diabetes. He wishes to enroll them in multisite, randomized, and controlled clinical studies to test for possible ins to the curing or certain prevention of the disease amongst high-risk individuals.
There has been a large shift in the last decade on the cost of diabetes care, as well as associated costs. The International Diabetes Federation projects 438 million will be afflicted with the disease by 2030.
