Blood pressure and diabetes research announced during National Diabetes Week

Results from largest ever study on type 2 diabetes could have huge implications for patients.

A landmark, six-year trial has now closed the part of the study that aims to investigate the effect of blood pressure lowering, on the risk of macro- and micro- vascular complications in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Coinciding with National Diabetes Week, which runs from 8-14 July, the data from this blood pressure component of the ADVANCE study, will now be analysed by the leaders of the study here in Australia and presented at the European Society of Cardiology meeting (1-5 September 2007).

More than 600,000 Australians are affected by diabetes, and globally it has been estimated that the number of individuals with diabetes will rise from 171 million in 2000 to 366 million in 2030.

It is associated with increased risks of micro vascular complications, including retinopathy, nephrophy and neuropathy.

It also increases the risks of macro vascular diseases, including coronary heart disease, stroke and peripheral vascular disease.

ADVANCE is the largest clinical trial ever performed in patients with type 2 diabetes, involving over 11,000 randomised patients worldwide, and will provide important information about the separate and joint effects of blood
pressure lowering, and intensive blood glucose lowering regimen, compared with standard care in a broad cross-section of high-risk individuals with type 2 diabetes.

For more information visit www.advance-trial.com and www.thegeorgeinstitute.org