Diabetes drug proven to prevent kidney failure in 2 out of 3 diabetic patients
Servier Pharmaceutical Company called attention to the diabetes epidemic in the UAE by launching a Physicians’ Educational Day yesterday evening (Friday, May 4th) at the Jumeirah Emirates Towers Hotel, Dubai. The meeting drew particular focus on new data from the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) that was announced in the latest IDF congress in December 2011 in Dubai, indicating that 19.2 percent of the UAE population has been diagnosed with diabetes. The new IDF data also highlighted the diabetes associated consequences for both the patients and the economy.
The event, accredited by the Ministry of Health and the Dubai Health Authority, was attended by participants from major private and public hospitals across the UAE.
“Latest international guidelines recommend that physicians use Gliclazide MR (Diamicron MR 60mg) to control diabetes and its complications after the drug’s strong performance in the ADVANCE trial, considered the largest ever trial in the history of diabetes. ADVANCE’s new results, announced at the World Diabetes Congress in December 2011, showed that the regular use of Gliclazide MR can avoid kidney failure in 65% percent of diabetic patients with type 2 diabetes (2 out of 3) compared to groups treated with other medications” said Professor Yehia Ghanem, Professor of Internal Medicine, Diabetes and Metabolism Department Faculty of Medicine, Alexandria University, Egypt.
Deaths from cardiovascular and renal failure are high among diabetics. As per a World Health Organization report 2009, 20 percent of diabetic patients die from kidney disease. “It is imperative that diabetes control be improved in the UAE, and that top of the line, Gliclazide MR when prescribed to the patients at the earliest is proven to avoid the renal and cardiovascular complications associated with diabetes” added Professor Ghanem.
The physicians meeting also discussed key issues on how to diagnose diabetes effectively, assess the risk of cardiovascular damage in diabetic patients, and how to effectively manage medication to avoid renal and cardiovascular complications while keeping diabetes in check.
“Diabetes is a serious concern for the UAE, and the medical community is realizing the need for effective and trusted partners in innovation to deliver drugs that effectively control diabetes and treat its consequences. Reputed drugs such as Gliclazde MR and Metformin are commonly prescribed by healthcare providers in the country, in addition to newer medications which have less scientific evidence about their ability to protect against diabetes complications, or safety in long term use,” said Professor Jean Claude Mbanya, President, International Diabetes Federation, Professor of Medicine and Endocrinology Faculty of Medicine, University of Yaoundé, Cameroon.
“Diabetes is an epidemic that costs lives and also imposes economic burdens. The medical and scientific communities must cooperate in treating this epidemic with resources and medications that offer scientific proof of efficacy and show discernable results in improving patient well-being,” he concluded.
