Diabetes can takes six years off your life by increasing risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer, study says

By Thomas H. Maugh II, Los Angeles Times



A 50-year-old with Type 2 diabetes will lose an average of six years of life as a result of the disease, only one year less than would be lost by a smoker of the same age, researchers reported Wednesday.


He or she is more than twice as likely to die of cardiovascular disease as someone without diabetes and 25% more likely to die of cancer, according to the report, an international study of more than 820,000 people published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

People with Type 2 diabetes are also more likely to die from kidney disease, liver disease, pneumonia, infectious diseases and even intentional self-harm, according to the study, which was conducted by the Emerging Risk Factors Collaboration, based at the University of Cambridge in England.

The data are especially concerning in light of the rapidly expanding incidence of diabetes in the United States, fueled by the increase in obesity. An estimated 25.8 million Americans have diabetes, 10 million more than two decades ago.

Researchers knew that diabetes could shorten lifespan, but this study shows how many years of life may be lost and to what causes, said Dr. David M. Kendall, chief scientific and medical officer of the American Diabetes Assn., who was not involved in the study.

The report also shows that those who have what is known as prediabetes -- in which blood glucose levels are higher than normal, but not high enough to be classified as diabetic -- are at higher risk of dying from many of the same diseases, he noted. An estimated 79 million Americans have prediabetes.

Diabetes is often seen as a condition rather than an illness, something you can live with, Kendall said. "Well, in fact, this shows that it is associated with a significant risk of both morbidity and mortality," he said.

The Emerging Risk Factors Collaboration is an international group of researchers that has previously studied the association of cholesterol, lipids and inflammation-promoting proteins in the blood with cardiovascular disease and other causes of death. In 2009, the group decided to extend the study to diabetes, focusing on 97 large studies that tracked subjects for an average of 13.5 years and had adequate information about blood glucose levels while fasting, the diagnosis of diabetes and other medical conditions. None of the subjects had cardiovascular or other diseases at the beginning of the study.

The group reported that diabetics were 2.32 times as likely as non-diabetics to die from cardiovascular disease during the course of the study and 25% more likely to die from cancer. Diabetes was moderately associated with death from cancers of the liver, pancreas, ovary, colon and rectum, lung, bladder and breast. Diabetics were, however, less likely to die from prostate cancer.

Those findings are in general agreement with a recent statement issued jointly by the American Diabetes Assn. and the American Cancer Society. That document noted that it is unclear whether the cancers are caused directly by the high blood glucose levels or whether both diabetes and cancer are a result of underlying biological factors such as an inability of the body to properly respond to insulin or overproduction of insulin.

That document also noted that there is not enough evidence about whether Type 1 diabetes, in which the pancreas stops producing insulin, is linked to an increased risk of cancer.

According to the new study, diabetics are also about three times as likely to die of kidney disease, 2.4 times as likely to die of infections (including pneumonia), 2.3 times as likely to die of liver disease, 70% more likely to die from falls, 64% more likely to die of mental disorders, 58% more likely to die of intentional self-harm and 27% more likely to die of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

"It's surprising that everything under the sun was associated with diabetes," said Dr. Spyros Mezitis, an endocrinologist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York, who was not involved in the research. It is clear why there is a link between diabetes and cardiovascular disease, he said, "but when it comes to non-vascular disease, it's a little more difficult to understand why there is an association."

For some of the causes of death, reduced immune function and impaired defense systems of the body are clearly playing a role, he added. But for others, he said, "more studies are needed to somehow make these associations plausible."

Diabetes

Diabetes is a disease in which your blood glucose, or sugar, levels are too high. Glucose comes from the foods you eat. Insulin is a hormone that helps the glucose get into your cells to give them energy. With Type 1 diabetes, your body does not make insulin. With Type 2 diabetes, the more common type, your body does not make or use insulin well. Without enough insulin, the glucose stays in your blood.

Over time, having too much glucose in your blood can cause serious problems. It can damage your eyes, kidneys, and nerves. Diabetes can also cause heart disease, stroke and even the need to remove a limb. Pregnant women can also get diabetes, called gestational diabetes.

Symptoms of Type 2 diabetes may include fatigue, thirst, weight loss, blurred vision and frequent urination. Some people have no symptoms. A blood test can show if you have diabetes. Exercise, weight control and sticking to your meal plan can help control your diabetes. You should also monitor your glucose level and take medicine if prescribed.

National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases

Bayer's BREEZE(R)2 Meter Available in Two New Vibrant Colors for a Limited Time

TARRYTOWN, N.Y., Sept. 9 /PRNewswire/ --

Bayer Diabetes Care today introducedtwo new vibrant colors of Bayer's BREEZE(R)2 blood glucose meters -- Pink andPurple.

The BREEZE2 new color meters will offer the same unique easy to use(1)features as the original silver BREEZE2 meter, such as a 10-test disc thatstores test strips inside the meter itself, so users do not have to handleindividual strips every time they test their blood glucose. The 10-test discis a feature that nearly all BREEZE2 meter users agree makes frequent testingsimple and convenient.

Bayer Diabetes Care introduced the BREEZE2 meter colors, giving people withdiabetes the option to purchase a multi-strip meter that matches their owntaste and sense of style. The meter will also continue to be available in theoriginal silver color.

Similar to Bayer's CONTOUR(R) meter, BREEZE2 meters feature No Coding(TM)technology and no interference from maltose and galactose, making diabetesmanagement easier. In addition, the BREEZE2 meter has a small sample size, afast testing time, a large memory and holds up to 420 readings, with averagingavailable for 1-, 7-, 14- and 30-day periods.

The limited edition BREEZE2 color meters will be available at selectpharmacies while supplies last. For more information on the BREEZE2 colormeters and to download a coupon for a free BREEZE2 meter, go towww.simplewins.com/site/Adults/Monitor/Pages/Bayer-Products/Breeze-Meter.