Healthcare | Friday 6 March, 2015 10:39 am |

Type 2 Diabetes (T2D) is the most common form of diabetes often leading to chronic complications like cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, liver disease and nerve damage. With increasing incidence of Type 2 Diabetes in Saudi Arabia, at least 1 in every 5 people is estimated to have diabetes in KSA. It is also estimated that 1.5 million people with diabetes in KSA are still undiagnosed,3 putting citizens at an increasing risk of developing these complications.

Boehringer Ingelheim, a leading pharmaceutical company, announced the introduction of the new DDP-4 inhibitor treatment at an exclusive media event called Direction in Diabetes for patient care, bringing together leading regional and international experts to highlight the importance of adopting safe and effective treatment programs for patients, while highlighting the efficacy of the new treatment. DPP-4 inhibitors work by increasing hormones that stimulate the pancreas to produce more insulin and stimulate the liver to produce less glucose in glucose dependent manner.

The newly introduced DPP-4 inhibitor by Boehringer Ingelheim will provide doctors with a safe and effective treatment approach which can achieve effective blood sugar control while having minimal effect on vital organs like the kidney and heart. The new therapy is proving to be effective modern tool in helping in overall glycemic management and improving the quality of patient lives in diabetes therapy.


Professor Mourad El Mourad, Senior Advisor and Head of Scientific committee to the General Directorate of Genetic and Chronic Diseases, Assistant Agency for Preventive Medicine- Ministry of Health, KSA commented: “The alarming rise in the incidence of Type 2 Diabetes is a matter of great concern for us and we are working towards adopting proactive measures which can fight the challenges associated with disease management.”

Dr. Saud Al Sifri, Consultant Endocrinologist, Chairman of Internal Medicine and Director of Diabetes Centre, Al Hada Armed Forces Hospital, Taif Saudi Arabia said, “Rise in Type 2 Diabetes in Saudi Arabia is putting people at an increasing risk of developing chronic kidney as well as cardiovascular diseases. Scientific studies have shown that for people suffering from diabetes, the disease affects other critical organs like the heart, kidney, retina, nerves etc. leading to the formation of a vicious circle. The new treatment provides us with a solution towards helping more patients, even the ones with chronic complications, to achieve accurate glycemic control. The unique feature of non-renal excretion will mean have no effect on the vital organs of the body.”

Mohamed Bayoumy, Country Head , Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Boehringer Ingelheim commented, “The introduction of the new treatment is a part of Boehringer Ingelheim’s on-going global commitment to meet patient needs of effective treatment for Type 2 Diabetes through the introduction of world class innovative therapy. We believe that the new treatment will help people in the country effectively manage their condition and solve some of the associated challenges. The effort also marks our commitment towards equipping the healthcare practitioners in the region with solutions that can best help their patients. In Saudi Arabia, diabetes management will continue to be a major therapy focus area for the company.”

DPP-4 inhibitors act by inhibiting the degradation of incretion hormones, thereby increasing insulin release in a glucose-dependent manner and decreasing the levels of circulating glucagon. Boehringer Ingelheim’s DDP-4 inhibitor, introduced for the treatment of adults with Type 2 Diabetes, is primarily excreted through the bile and the gut rather than through renal elimination.1This allows the use of the medication even in patients with failing liver or kidney function.4
Boehringer Ingelheim also introduced the first physician results from IntroDia™, a global survey about early conversations in T2D, which will include insights from more than 10,000 patients with T2D and more than 6,700 treating physicians, across 26 countries including Saudi Arabia. From the Middle East, 60 physicians from Saudi Arabia and UAE participated in the survey. The aim of the survey is to understand how physicians and people with T2D conduct early conversations and the challenges faced during these conversations. Being diagnosed with T2D can be a challenging and emotional period, which many people find overwhelming. A person is faced with a range of challenges, including taking new medication and making lifestyle changes, which can trigger psychological distress.5, 6
Insights from the global IntroDia™ study were introduced at the event, which surveyed more than 6,700 physicians and 10,000 people with Type 2 Diabetes (T2D), including Saudi Arabia, revealing that physicians see treatment success to be equally dependent on the way people with Type 2 Diabetes accept their condition and the efficacy of the medication
Some of the highlights include: 6
Over three quarters of the surveyed physicians (76-100% across 26 countries) agreed that conversations at diagnosis impact the way people with Type 2 Diabetes accept their condition, as well as their treatment adherence.
The challenges most commonly reported by physicians during diagnosis conversations were that patients do not always keep up with the required changes, returning to old habits. Physicians also reported not having enough time to carry out important conversations with patients.
Physicians reported that treatment success is dependent on both behavioral change and the efficacy of medication in approximately equal measures which resulted as a 50-50% from the survey.
Most physicians surveyed (92%) also indicated they would like tools to help people with Type 2 Diabetes sustain behavioral change.