Managing diabetes with medicines and life-style choices

The use of antidiabetic medicines in Australia has increased substantially since the early 1990s and the trend is continuing, according to a new report released by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW).

The report, ‘Use of medicines by Australians with diabetes’, presents information on medicines used in the control of diabetes (such as such as insulin and oral blood glucose-lowering medicines) as well as those used for prevention or control of common diabetes complications.

The report shows that between 1990 and 2004 there was a two-fold increase in the use of insulin and a threefold increase in the use of oral blood glucose-lowering medicines.

The growing use of antidiabetic medicines is consistent with the rise in the number of Australians being diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. The report also found that people with diabetes reported greater use of medicines for associated conditions such as high blood pressure and high blood cholesterol than people without diabetes.

Diabetes is a chronic condition that can have a major impact on life expectancy and quality of life, especially if undetected or poorly controlled. Common complications of diabetes can include coronary heart disease, diabetic eye disease, kidney disease, and circulatory problems that can lead to foot ulcers and even lower limb amputations.