Blood pressure drugs cut death rate in diabetes

The largest-ever study of treatments for diabetes has shown that a fixed combination of two blood pressure lowering drugs reduces the risk of death, as well as the risks of heart and kidney disease. Results from the ADVANCE (Action in Diabetes and Vascular Disease) Study were presented today at the European Society of Cardiology Congress 2007 in Vienna.

One of the study leaders, Professor Stephen MacMahon from The George Institute for International Health in Australia, said “these results represent an important step forward in health care for the millions of people with diabetes worldwide. This treatment reduced the likelihood of dying from the complications of diabetes by almost one-fifth, with virtually no side-effects.”

Globally, there are approximately 250 million people with diabetes, most of whom will eventually be killed or disabled by the complications of their condition. The most common cause of death in people with diabetes is heart disease. Kidney disease also affects a large proportion. In 2006, the United Nations issued a statement calling for increased international action to combat the global epidemic of diabetes.

A total of 11 140 patients with diabetes from 20 countries world wide participated in the 4.3 year project. Half received daily treatment with a single tablet containing fixed combination of two blood pressure lowering drugs (perindopril and indapamide) and half received matching inactive placebo.

Dr. Anushka Patel, Study Director also from The George Institute, said “the participants in ADVANCE were already receiving most of the usual treatments provided to patients with diabetes, including other drugs to lower blood pressure. However, addition of the fixed combination of perindopril and indapamide reduced the risk of death from any cause by 14% and the risk of death from cardiovascular disease by 18%. In absolute terms, one death would be avoided for every 79 patients treated with the fixed combination of perindopril and indapamide for 5 years. The risk of coronary heart disease events was reduced by application card credit mbnacollege student credit card debtuk credit card,card credit secure uk,uk aqua credit cardbank card credit providianbusiness card credit smallcredit card fraud protectioncard credit low rateapproval canada card credit instantcard credit debt reducingconsolidate credit card paymentmy premier credit card accountconsolidating credit card debthsbc credit card applicationinternet credit card processing,internet credit card processing servicessecured credit card applicationdownload metro pcs ringtonesfree cell phone ringtones,free samsung cell phone ringtones,free t mobile ringtones for cell phonedownload mobile mosquito ringtones t,mosquito ringtones,mosquito npr ringtoneskeypress motorola ringtonesfree samsung cell phone ringtones10 caller hotlink ringtones top,hotlink caller ringtones,caller hotlink malaysia maxis ringtonesdownload pc ringtonesnextel mp3 ringtones,free mp3 nextel ringtones,i730 mp3 nextel ringtonesinfo personal polyphonic remember ringtones sagem,info personal polyphonic remember ringtones voice,info personal polyphonic remember ringtonesfree ringtones makercell phone ringtones verizon,phone prepaid ringtones verizon,ringtones for verizon phonedownload free ringtones lgblackberry 7520 ringtones,blackberry ringtones,free blackberry 7250 ringtonesringtones for cingular phone,polyphonic ringtones for cingular phonedownload free ringtones virgin mobileinfo nextel personal remember ringtonescell free lg phone ringtonescingular cell phone ringtonessprint download ringtones,download ringtones for sprint phonesony music box ringtonesalltel free phone ringtonessony ericsson free real ringtones,6030 free nokia real ringtones,free real ringtones24 free ringtonestrac phone ringtonesmake your own free ringtones,free make own ringtones,free make mp3 own ringtonesnextel music ringtoneshot new ringtonesdigi caller ringtonesfree motorola ringtones tracfoneboost free mobile music ringtonesblackberry download free ringtones100 free mobile ringtonesfree nextel real ringtones1600 composer nokia ringtones,ringtones composer,mobile ringtones composer100 free mobile ringtones virgin 14% and the risk of new or worsening kidney disease was reduced by 21%.

Professor John Chalmers, the author of previous international guidelines for the treatment of high blood pressure and chairman of the study management group, said, “the results clearly demonstrate that we have the tools to blunt the impact of the global diabetes epidemic facing rich and poor countries alike. But concerted action is urgently required to ensure that patients with diabetes are identified and provided with treatments proven to improve important outcomes like survival.”

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