National time bomb for diabetes complications
Wednesday June 29th, 2011
Diabetes in England and Wales is a "time bomb" waiting to happen, according to figures published today.
Up
to 300,000 children and adults up to the age of 55 now have such high
blood sugar levels that they risk life-threatening complications such
as kidney failure and stroke, according to the National Diabetes Audit.
And some 144,000 of these are at "dangerously high" risk, it said.
The audit issued its warning about people under the age of 55 - pointing out they are less likely to be identified by routine health checks than older people.
The findings come in the same week as experts warned of a world-wide diabetes epidemic - with the problem afflicting up to 350 million people.
The audit was commissioned by the Healthcare Quality Improvement Partnership, run by the NHS Information Centre, and covers nearly two million people with diagnosed diabetes. Compared with last year's audit, there was increased involvement by all Primary Care Trusts.
It found that the rate of diabetes, especially Type 2, is rising each year, particularly in deprived communities.
High risk blood sugar levels, linked with greater risk of complications, are more common in younger people and the socially deprived.
Younger adults (24 to 54 year olds) were less likely than older adults (55 and over) to receive all nine recommended basic care checks every year. These include blood pressure, blood sugar and foot checks. But overall, more patients receive these checks than in previous years.
Lead clinician, Dr Bob Young, commented: "These results ring alarm bells. They show that younger people make up a quarter of all those with diabetes yet have the highest risks of potentially preventable complications.
"If these risks could be reduced much future disability and shortened life expectancy could be prevented."
The National Clinical Director for Diabetes, Dr Rowan Hillson, added: "I am very concerned that the National Diabetes Audit shows that we still have a long way to go in delivering basic standards of diabetes care for everyone.
"All health care professionals should follow NICE's clear recommendations. There is no excuse for not doing the basics well."
Tags: Child Health | Diabetes | Diet & Food | NHS | UK News
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