International Diabetes Federation (IDF) Global Survey Reveals 2 in 3 People With Type 2 Diabetes Have Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors and/or Have Experienced a Cardiovascular Event

Bagsværd, Denmark (ots/PRNewswire) -

- Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of disability and
death in people with type 2 diabetes[1]
- Despite the high incidence, 1 in 4 people with type 2 diabetes have
never discussed, or cannot recall discussing, CVD risk factors with
a doctor[2]
- First-ever global IDF survey investigating CVD awareness among
people with type 2 diabetes received more than 12,000 responses in
over 130 countries[2]

To mark World Heart Day on 29 September, the International
Diabetes Federation (IDF) (http://www.idf.org) in partnership with
Novo Nordisk is announcing results from the Taking Diabetes to Heart
survey. The global survey investigated cardiovascular disease (CVD)
awareness among 12,695 people with type 2 diabetes and revealed that
2 in 3 had CVD risk factors such as high blood pressure, uncontrolled
blood glucose levels and high cholesterol and/or had experienced a
CVD event such as angina, heart attack, stroke or heart failure.
However, 1 in 4 respondents had never discussed, or cannot remember
discussing, CVD risk factors with a doctor and only 1 in 4 considered
themselves to be at low risk of CVD.[2]

Commenting on the findings, IDF President Professor Nam H. Cho
said: "These survey findings confirm our concerns about the
increasing global prevalence of diabetes and its associated
complications. Awareness of the risks and consequences of the disease
remains pitifully low and education to address diabetes complications
is lacking. We urge governments to invest in measures to detect type
2 diabetes early and ensure that health professionals are trained to
guide people to make positive changes to their lifestyle and better
manage their diabetes. This will help people to avoid disabling and
life-threating diabetes complications."

Diabetes currently affects 425 million adults worldwide,[3] with
most cases being type 2 diabetes. CVD, which includes stroke,
coronary heart disease and peripheral artery disease,[4] is the
leading cause of disability and death in people with type 2
diabetes.[1]

In the Taking Diabetes to Heart survey, 3 in 4 people with type 2
diabetes said they relied on information about CVD from their doctor.
More than half of respondents said they needed more information about
the risk factors associated with the development of CVD to better
understand the risks in order to help prevent them.[2]

"Cardiovascular disease can have a devastating impact on the lives
of people with type 2 diabetes and their families," said Professor
Stephen Gough, global chief medical officer of Novo Nordisk. "The IDF
survey findings are striking and reinforce the importance of raising
awareness of CVD risk and its impact on people living with type 2
diabetes. We are committed to continue working with IDF while
utilising these global findings to inform future efforts that can
help improve health outcomes."

Taking Diabetes to Heart will culminate in a comprehensive report
with regional and country-specific results and resources to help
support knowledge and awareness of CVD among people with type 2
diabetes and those at risk around the world.

For more information about Taking Diabetes to Heart, visit
www.idf.org/takingdiabetes2heart

For more information about diabetes and cardiovascular disease,
visit www.idf.org/cvd

About Taking Diabetes to Heart

Taking Diabetes to Heart - www.idf.org/takingdiabetes2heart - is
the first ever multi-country, online survey investigating the level
of cardiovascular disease awareness and knowledge among people with
type 2 diabetes. Respondents from over 130 countries participated
around the world, with more than 12,000 responses received. The
survey is now closed. Results from the survey will be used to inform
policy and decision-making around this common and serious
complication of diabetes.[3]

About the International Diabetes Federation

The International Diabetes Federation (IDF) is an umbrella
organisation of over 240 national diabetes associations in 168
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. www.idf.org.

About Novo Nordisk

Novo Nordisk is a global healthcare company with 95 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 43,100 people in 79 countries and markets its products
in more than 170 countries. For more information, visit
novonordisk.com (https://www.novonordisk.com/), Facebook
(https://www.facebook.com/novonordisk), Twitter
(https://twitter.com/novonordisk), LinkedIn
(http://www.linkedin.com/company/novo-nordisk), YouTube
(http://www.youtube.com/novonordisk).

Further information

Media:

Katrine Sperling, +45-4442-6718, krsp@novonordisk.com

Investors:

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

Anders Mikkelsen, +45-3079-4461, armk@novonordisk.com

Valdemar Borum Svarrer, +45-3079-0301, jvls@novonordisk.com

References

1. Low Wang CC, Hess CN, Hiatt WR, et al. Clinical Update:
Cardiovascular Disease in Diabetes Mellitus: Atherosclerotic
Cardiovascular Disease and Heart Failure in Type 2 Diabetes
Mellitus - Mechanisms, Management, and Clinical Considerations.
Circulation. 2016;133:2459-2502.
2. International Diabetes Federation. Taking Diabetes to Heart Survey
Results. Available at: https://www.idf.org/our-activities/care-pre
vention/cardiovascular-disease/taking-diabetes-to-heart.html. Last
accessed: September 2018.
3. International Diabetes Federation. IDF Diabetes Atlas. 8th
edition. Brussels, Belgium. 2017. Available at:
http://www.diabetesatlas.org/. Last accessed: September 2018.
4. International Diabetes Federation. Diabetes and Cardiovascular
Disease. 2016. Available at: www.idf.org/cvd. Last accessed:
September 2018.

ots Originaltext: Novo Nordisk A/S
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Original-Content von: Novo Nordisk A/S, übermittelt durch news aktuell