Abstract

Globally the number of people with diabetes has doubled during the past 20 years to an estimated 415 million people in 2015. In 2040 the number of people with diabetes is expected to rise to 642 million globally. Diabetic complications such as cardiovascular disease, ulcers of the foot, decreased sensation, amputations, renal disease and eye disease result in reduced quality of life and life expectancy. In some developed countries like Denmark, Sweden and the USA the individual risk of death in people with diabetes seem to fall as a result of improved treatment. A recent publication from Denmark has shown that intensive multifactorial treatment of people with type 2 diabetes resulted in a median gain of life of 8 years during 21 years of follow-up. Approximately 50% of all cases with diabetes remain undiagnosed varying from 30 to 80% across countries. This lecture will discuss whether these people should be identified by screening and treated early by lifestyle advice and preventive drugs. What are the likely benefits and harms? What are possible barriers to screening and multifactorial treatment? Should research results be implemented into daily clinical practice?

This talk will be chaired by Professor Simon Griffin