The national campaign starts on June 10th Ready Diabeteswhich points to raise awareness of the complications of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and in general to keep attention high on a pathology which, as he explains Riccardo Candido, national president of the Association of Diabetologists “It affects almost 4 million Italians, around 6.6% of the population.”
The initiative, sponsored by the Italian Society of Diabetology and the Association of Diabetologists, with the participation of Diabete Italia and Sistema Farmacia Italia and in partnership with AstraZeneca, until June 28th it will give patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus the opportunity to carry out free specialist consultations with a diabetologist at approximately 50 centers throughout Italy, bookable on the toll-free number 800042747 and on the website www.prontoDiabete.it
Furthermore, for those who already have a diagnosis of diabetes, it will be possible go to participating community pharmacies and, without needing to book, receive diagnostic screening for risk assessment of developing complications «which are asymptomatic at the beginning and which when they tangibly manifest themselves have already done a lot of damage», continues Riccardo Candido. Precisely for this reason it is necessary to act early, undergoing screening tests even and above all in the absence of symptoms.
Preventing Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus
The type 2 one is the most common form of diabetes and represents approximately 90% of cases. In people who suffer from it there is a high incidence of cardiorenal disease, heart failure in 6% – 27% of them (first cause of hospitalization for people with diabetes in Italy) and chronic kidney disease in 30% – 40%. These complicationsclosely interconnected with each other and having a strong impact on the quality of life of patients, are associated with a high cardiovascular and mortality riskas well as an increase in healthcare costs.
The risk assessment in the pharmacy is drawn up by an algorithm after carrying out some simple tests carried out on site. «Today there is an ever-increasing scientific evidence that confirms the benefits of the early use of innovative therapies to prevent and delay the progression of renal complications in diabetic patients. Therefore, for correct management of the disease, a timely and more effective management of the patient is required through the adoption of preventive strategies, periodic checks, and close collaboration between specialists, local medicine and pharmacists” underlines Angelo Avogaropresident of SID.
1 million undiagnosed cases and 4 million at risk
However, the initiative does not only aim to deal with complications, but also to ensure that diabetes is talked about. In fact, in addition to the 4 million diagnosed cases, it is estimated that it exists at least a million people suffer from this disease without knowing it and another 4 million who risk developing it. «This happens because not only complications, but also the disease itself is asymptomatic at the beginning and most of the time its presence is only noticed in a late phase», continues Riccardo Candido.
This is why it is necessary to discover the presence of diabetes as soon as possible, convincing potentially at-risk subjects to undergo targeted screening. «If a person has more than 45 yearsAnd sedentaryit’s in overweighthas one family history of diabetestakes medications for high pressure or the cholesterolfalls among the risk categories and it is best that you do not wait until you have symptoms but undergo blood tests that include blood sugar and glycated hemoglobin to understand if you have already started to develop an alteration of these parameters”, concludes Riccardo Candido.
