New Study Highlights Rising Number Of Type 2 Diabetes Patients In U.S., Increasing Complexity Of Treatments

Main Category: Diabetes
Article Date: 20 Nov 2008 - 1:00 PST

email to a friend   printer friendly   view / write opinions   rate article

An increasing number of type 2 diabetes patients in the U.S. are being treated by a progressively complex mix of therapies, according to a study featured in Archives of Internal Medicine, a JAMA/Archives journal. The report is the first to be published by members of the Health Services Research Network (HSRN), a consortium of leading U.S. academicians that conducts independent research using IMS Health's evidence-based information to address key healthcare issues. IMS Health (NYSE: RX) is the world's leading provider of market intelligence to the pharmaceutical and healthcare industries.

The study, "National Trends in Treatment of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, 1994-2007," documents the dramatic growth of Americans diagnosed with type 2 diabetes - from 11 million patients in 2000 to an expected 29 million by 2050. Authors G. Caleb Alexander, MD, MS, of the University of Chicago Hospitals, Randall S. Stafford, MD, PhD, Stanford Prevention Research Center, Stanford University, and their colleagues found that between 1994 and 2007, the estimated number of yearly patient visits to treat diabetes increased from 25 million to 36 million.

Among the findings cited were the growing complexity and costs of treating type 2 diabetes. The greater availability of new, innovative oral antidiabetic and insulin medications, as well as the increased use of combination therapies to treat patients with diabetes, contributed to these trends. During the period reviewed by the study, the number of doctor visits in which only one drug was prescribed decreased from 82 percent to 47 percent, and the average number of medications prescribed per treated patient rose from 1.14 to 1.63.

More than one-tenth of U.S. healthcare expenditures are attributable to diabetes, the authors write. "Our findings suggest the importance of generating new comparative data and coupling this information with clinical and formulary guidelines that contribute to constraining costs, maximizing glycemic control and minimizing diabetes-related morbidity and mortality."

To conduct the analysis, the authors used IMS's National Disease and Therapeutic Index to analyze medications prescribed between 1994 and 2007 for all U.S. office visits among patients 35 years and older with type 2 diabetes. IMS's National Prescription Audit database also was utilized to assess medication costs between 2001 and 2007.

Alexander and Stafford are among a group of ten leading U.S. academic researchers in medicine, health economics and public health that make up the HSRN. The alliance provides member institutions with enhanced access to IMS's comprehensive information on healthcare therapies and outcomes. Additional HSRN projects currently underway are focused on pediatric treatment outcomes, benchmarks of hospital drug costs, drug safety in key therapeutic classes, variability in treatment patterns, and how quickly the public accepts new medical technology.

"Our study, which would not have been possible without IMS's valuable data assets and the HSRN alliance, provides important insights for patients, clinicians, and policy makers that can be used to improve diabetes care," said Dr. Alexander.

Added IMS's Robert Hunkler, director of Professional Relations and HSRN coordinator, "Research of this type is critical to tackling some of today's most pressing U.S. healthcare issues, from quality improvement and cost management to better treatment access and outcomes. This study is the first of many to come."

To access a summary of the diabetes study, go to: http://archinte.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/short/168/19/2088. More information about IMS's work with Health Services Research Network members, academic research affiliates, university students and non-profit organizations can be found at: http://www.imshealth.com/researchsupport.

About IMS

Operating in more than 100 countries, IMS Health is the world's leading provider of market intelligence to the pharmaceutical and healthcare industries. With $2.2 billion in 2007 revenue and more than 50 years of industry experience, IMS offers leading-edge market intelligence products and services that are integral to clients' day-to-day operations, including portfolio optimization capabilities; launch and brand management solutions; sales force effectiveness innovations; managed care and consumer health offerings; and consulting and services solutions that improve ROI and the delivery of quality healthcare worldwide. Additional information is available at http://www.imshealth.com.

As a global leader in protecting individual patient privacy, IMS uses de-identified healthcare data to deliver critical, real-world disease and treatment insights. These insights help biotech and pharmaceutical companies, medical researchers, government agencies, payers and other healthcare stakeholders to identify unmet treatment needs and understand the effectiveness and value of pharmaceutical products in improving overall health outcomes.

IMS Health