The star
BY LOH FOON FONG
National statistics reveal the youngest patient diagnosed with diabetes is as young as 4 years old.
PUTRAJAYA: A study has revealed that 76% of more seriously ill diabetics did not manage to get their diabetes under control and almost all did not comply with treatment advice.
As a result, almost half of the 1,668 patients with type 2 diabetes, seeking tertiary care from 19 public hospitals, suffered eye complications which could lead to blindness.
This was disclosed by Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia senior consultant endocrinologist Datuk Prof Dr Mafauzy Mohamed, who revealed the DiabCare Malaysia 2013 findings to mark World Diabetes Day yesterday.
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| Health awareness: Participants trying the Heart Attack Challenge at the ‘Beat Diabetes Before It Beats You’ programme at Sunway Pyramid. The event was organised by Sunway Medical Centre in conjunction with World Diabetes Day. |
He said eye complications increased from 35% in 2008 to 49% last year, while kidney complications rose from 36% in 2008 to 42% last year.
“Over three-quarters of the patients failed to control their blood glucose level,” he said.
While there were less heart problems because their cholesterol levels were under control, 76% of them did not achieve optimal control compared with 72% in 2008, he said.
Dr Mafauzy said more than two-thirds also did not adhere to advice and led a sedentary lifestyle.
Universiti Kebangsaan Medical Centre diabetes and endocrine unit head Prof Dr Nor Azmi Kamaruddin said the DiabCare findings also revealed that 43% (320) of about 750 males with diabetes suffered from erectile dysfunction, another diabetic complication.
