Most Insulin Users Have Inadequate Control of Glycemia and CVD Risk Factors

Most Insulin Users Have Inadequate Control of Glycemia and CVD Risk Factors: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a well-established comorbidity of Type 2 diabetes (T2D). The relationships between control of CVD risk factors, CVD comorbidity prevalence and medication status in T2D patients were investigated on a population-based cross-sectional study. A total of 889 T2D patients were investigated, of whom 23% were insulin users, 47% were taking oral diabetic drugs and 20% were not on medication. Assessments included blood pressure (BP), lipids and glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c). Patients on insulin tended to be obese, have less control over HbA1c or triglycerides and were prone to comorbidities such as chronic kidney disease or macroalbuminuria. Targets for HbA1c (< 7%), BP (< 130/90) and low density lipoprotein cholesterol (< 100 mg/dL) were only achieved by 10% of all study participants, with insulin-treated patients less likely to reach the goals than non-insulin patients. The results show that a large number of T2D patients had inadequate glycemic compliance as well as inadequately controlled CVD factors. Insulin users seemed particularly prone to this lack of control, with consequent increase in CVD-related comorbidities (Glovaci, D. et al. Am Heart Assoc Sci Sess (Nov 13-17, Chicago) 2010, Abst 18450)