CRAWLEY, England--(BUSINESS WIRE)--New global research reveals that over three quarters (76%) of people with diabetes surveyed who had experienced nocturnal hypoglycaemia are worried about these events.1 The World Awake research found that those surveyed had experienced an average of three night time events in the previous 30 days that they could treat themselves.1 Of those who worried about these events, three quarters (75%) stated that the worry impacted their sleep and one in five (19%) said that it caused them severe sleep disturbances or insomnia.1
Despite their frequency and their negative impact upon those that suffer with them, the survey also showed that nocturnal hypoglycaemic events go under reported. Nearly half (49%) of those surveyed did not discuss them with their primary care physician, general practitioner (GP) or family doctor.1 Additionally, a fifth (20%) did not discuss these events with any healthcare professional at all.1
“It is disturbing to see the significant negative impact on general wellbeing and treatment satisfaction that having and/or worrying about nocturnal hypoglycaemic events has on patients and the number of these events not being reported,” said Professor Anthony Barnett, Professor of Medicine, Consultant Physician and Clinical Director of Diabetes and Endocrinology at Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham, UK.
“It is often easy for both physicians and patients to dismiss non-specific symptoms and tiredness as due to other factors. More proactive monitoring for symptoms and signs of nocturnal hypoglycaemic events by patients should be encouraged and this coupled with enhanced education and support should ensure health care professionals are able to make the most informed management decisions in consultation with their patients.”
Nocturnal hypoglycaemia can be serious and even self-treated events have been shown to have a significant impact on functioning of people with diabetes, including the quality and amount of sleep.2 Sleep disruption (and resulting sleep deprivation for some) can not only impair glucose tolerance,3 but can also lead to increased body mass index and obesity,4 higher blood pressure and development of hypertension,5,6 and cardiovascular disease.7,8
A lack of awareness or understanding about the significance of nocturnal hypoglycaemic events among people with diabetes may explain some of these findings. Respondents noted that they had not discussed their events with their primary care physician for a number of reasons including not feeling they were relevant or important enough (23%) and not wanting to waste their physician’s time (10%).1 Thirteen percent felt their GP or primary care physician knew or assumed these events were taking place.
A combination of lifestyle changes and optimising insulin treatment may help to reduce both the frequency and impact of nocturnal hypoglycaemic events. However, 37% of survey respondents reported managing their diabetes with only insulin and no lifestyle changes (defined as diet and exercise).1 Further, concern about these events impacted how respondents self-managed their condition, including increasing the frequency of their blood glucose monitoring (49%), changing what they ate throughout the day (42%), reducing their insulin dose/s (39%) or even missing insulin dose/s altogether (20%).1
The research was published as part of The World Awake campaign, a new global education initiative from Novo Nordisk, supported by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF). It aims to raise awareness of the impact of nocturnal hypoglycaemia on people with diabetes amongst GPs and primary care physicians and to encourage more proactive conversations about them.
“We are delighted to support The World Awake campaign,” said Sir Michael Hirst, President of the IDF. “GPs and primary care physicians are often at the heart of the multi-disciplinary team of healthcare professionals helping those with diabetes to manage their condition. They are ideally placed to educate patients on nocturnal hypoglycaemia and help them understand the significance of these events.”
About the World Awake global patient survey
The global quantitative research was funded by Novo Nordisk and conducted by Aequus Research Ltd amongst 1,107 adults (over 18 years old) with both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes between July and September 2013. All participants were treated with insulin and had experienced a night time low blood sugar event in the last 30 days. Participants were from seven countries including Argentina (n=173), Canada (n=170), France (n=171), India (n=173), Japan (n=150), Sweden (n=100) and the UK (n=170). Qualitative research working with respondents from the quantitative survey was also undertaken with 30 respondents from each of the seven countries.
About Novo Nordisk
Headquartered in Denmark, Novo Nordisk is a global healthcare company with 90 years of innovation and leadership in diabetes care. The company also has leading positions within haemophilia care, growth hormone therapy and hormone replacement therapy. Headquartered in Denmark, Novo Nordisk employs approximately 36,000 employees in 75 countries, and markets its products in more than 180 countries. For more information, visit novonordisk.co.uk.
About the International Diabetes Federation
The International Diabetes Federation (IDF) is an umbrella organisation of over 200 national diabetes associations in over 160 countries. It represents the interests of the growing number of people with diabetes and those at risk. The Federation has been leading the global diabetes community since 1950. IDF’s mission is to promote diabetes care, prevention and a cure worldwide. www.idf.org.
Notes to the editor
UK data from the World Awake survey are available on request.
References
1. The Diabetes World Awake Study. Conducted by Aequus August 2013. Funded by Novo Nordisk.
2. Brod, M., Pohlman, B., Wolden, M. et al. Non-severe nocturnal hypoglycemic events: experience and impacts on patient functioning and well-being. Quality of Life Research, 2013; 22: 997–1004
3. Knutson KL, Van Cauter E. Associations between sleep loss and increased risk of obesity and diabetes. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2008; 1129: 287–304.
4. Cappuccio FP, Taggart FM, Kandala NB et al. Meta-analysis of short sleep duration and obesity in children and adults. Sleep 2008; 31: 619–626.
5. Gottlieb DJ, Redline S, Nieto FJ et al. Association of usual sleep duration with hypertension: the Sleep Heart Health Study. Sleep 2006; 29: 1009–1014.
6. Kawabe H, Saito I. Does short sleep duration in daily life affect morning home blood pressure? Evaluation in Japanese people. Clin Exp Hypertens 2008; 30: 183–190.
7. King CR, Knutson KL, Rathouz PJ, Sidney S, Liu K, Lauderdale DS. Short sleep duration and incident coronary artery calcification. JAMA 2008; 300: 2859–2866.
8. Ayas NT, White DP, Manson JE et al. A prospective study of sleep duration and coronary heart disease in women. Arch Intern Med 2003; 163: 205–209.
