- Findings Highlight Need for Improved Doctor/ Patient Communication About
Important Preventive Therapy -
MORRISTOWN, N.J., Nov. 21 /PRNewswire/ -- Survey results released today by
the American College of Preventive Medicine (ACPM) found that nearly half
(48%) of U.S. adults 40+ with diabetes are not utilizing aspirin therapy to
reduce their risk of recurrent heart attack or stroke nor had they reported
discussing such therapy with their healthcare provider.(1,3) This population
is at heightened risk of cardiovascular (CV) events, and therefore potential
candidates for doctor-recommended aspirin therapy based on current American
Diabetes Association and U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF)
guidelines. -- The survey, which was conducted by Harris Interactive(R) in
collaboration with the ACPM, was supported by an unrestricted educational
grant from Bayer HealthCare, the makers of Bayer(R) Aspirin.
Heart attack and stroke are the most life-threatening consequences of
diabetes, occurring more than twice as often among people with diabetes than
in those who do not have the disease(2), and accounting for approximately 65%
of deaths in people with diabetes.(3) According to the American Diabetes
Association (ADA), a diagnosis of diabetes as an adult presents a similar
level of coronary heart disease (CHD) risk as already having suffered a heart
attack.(3) The ADA recommends that aspirin be considered for use in the
prevention of both first and recurrent CV events in patients with diabetes who
have at least one additional risk factor.(4) Additionally, the USPSTF
recommends the consideration of low-dose aspirin in people whose five-year CHD
risk exceeds 3%, a point at which the benefits of aspirin therapy are thought
to outweigh the risks; the USPSTF recommendations also note that patients with
diabetes appear to benefit "as much or more from aspirin as nondiabetic
patients."(5) Despite these treatment guidelines, the ACPM survey suggests
that aspirin remains underutilized in people with diabetes, an issue that may
be due in part to these individuals' tendency to underestimate their risk for
a heart attack or stroke.
"The survey findings suggest that insufficient numbers of Americans with
diabetes are aware of the cardio-protective benefits of aspirin," commented
George K. Anderson, MD, MPH, past president of the ACPM. Although the benefits
of aspirin therapy have been proven to outweigh the risks in moderate to high
risk populations, it is concerning that so many people with diabetes and at
least one additional risk factor -- a population that would stand to benefit
from aspirin use -- seem unaware of this fact," said Dr. Anderson. "Clearly,
health professionals and patients -- especially patients with diabetes age 40
or older -- need to work together more closely to improve dialogue regarding
aspirin therapy as part of a risk-reduction action plan."
It's important to remember that aspirin is not appropriate for everyone,
so be sure to talk to your doctor before you begin an aspirin regimen. If you
are taking a prescription product for diabetes, it is especially important to
talk to your doctor because aspirin can interfere with certain diabetes
medications.
Survey Findings and Implications
The results were drawn from a nationally representative on-line survey of
1,299 U.S. adult consumers (647 men, 652 women) age 40 and over and 528
healthcare professionals. The survey was designed to assess barriers, beliefs
and behaviors related to adoption of cardiovascular event prevention
strategies, with a particular focus on aspirin use and adherence.
Of the 1,299 survey respondents, 198 (approximately 15%) indicated that
they have diabetes. Whereas 52% of respondents with diabetes reported that
they take aspirin on a regular or daily basis, 11% said they had previously
used aspirin for prevention of heart attack or stroke, and 45% said they had
never taken aspirin for this purpose.(1) While nearly half of the diabetic
respondents said they consider themselves "extremely knowledgeable" about
aspirin therapy(6), only 25% of the diabetic respondents said they strongly
agree with the statement, "The benefits of aspirin therapy generally outweigh
the risks."(7)
The survey findings suggest that healthcare professionals believe they are
discussing the risks and benefits of aspirin therapy with their patients with
diabetes more frequently than patients report having this discussion with
their healthcare provider. Although the survey did not explore the underlying
reasons for patient behaviors, there was a significantly smaller percentage of
diabetic respondents reporting aspirin use (52%), as compared with those
reporting implementation of lifestyle changes (86%) and use of prescription
medication (81%).(1)
"Although the survey did not quantify how often healthcare professionals
recommended aspirin, or how many patients received this recommendation, the
disparity in consumer and professional responses suggests that many candidates
for aspirin need to understand their risk and take action by talking to their
doctor about aspirin," said Dr. Anderson. "While this is true for the
population as a whole, the need for improved physician/patient communication
surrounding aspirin is particularly pronounced for individuals with diabetes,
given the heightened level of risk and suboptimal utilization in this patient
group."
Methodology
Harris Interactive(R) conducted the online survey October 21-29, 2004
among a nationwide cross-section of 1,299 U.S. adults aged 40 and over. The
data were weighted to be representative of the total U.S. adult population on
the basis of region, age within gender, education, household income,
race/ethnicity, and propensity to be online.
Participants were grouped as increased risk using a formula that is based
in part on the Framingham Risk Calculator, a simplified measurement tool that
assesses an individual's risk profile based upon a series of factors,
including age, gender, previous cardiovascular events, presence of risk
factors such as high cholesterol, blood pressure or diabetes, obesity, and
other contributors such as smoking and family history of heart disease.
The sampling error for the overall results is +/- 3 percentage points.
Sampling errors for the sub-samples of men is +/- 4 percentage points, women
is +/- 4 percentage points, adults who are at an increased risk for heart
disease is +/- 4 percentage points, increased-risk men is +/- 5 percentage
points, increased-risk women is +/- 7 percentage points, increased-risk women
who have discussed their heart health with a healthcare professional is +/- 7
percentage points, and increased-risk adults who have not experienced a heart
attack is +/- 4 percentage points. This online sample was not a probability
sample.
Harris Interactive also conducted a companion survey online from October
21 through November 8, 2004, among 533 healthcare professionals, of whom 212
were primary care physicians, 210 were cardiologists, and 111 were nurses. The
primary care physician and cardiologist data were weighted to be
representative of their respective populations in the U.S. The nurse data are
unweighted and are therefore only representative of the population of nurses
surveyed. The nursing database was provided by the Preventive Cardiovascular
Nurses Association (PCNA), and consisted of PCNA members. The sampling error
for the physician results is +/-7 percentage points and for the nurse results
it is +/- 10 percentage points. This online sample is not a probability
sample.
A Note on the Results
Survey research, regardless of how it is conducted or whom it surveys,
must often be interpreted with caution when analyzing the results. The
following caveats apply to this survey. First, many of the questions asked of
both the consumer and healthcare professional samples were framed in such a
way as to measure whether a certain activity has "ever" been done or
discussed. Follow-up questions were not included to quantify the frequency
with which these actions are taken. Secondly, the risk calculation used to
identify consumers who are at increased risk for heart disease is based solely
on information gathered as part of this survey and does not include
information from any other sources such as patient medical records. Third, in
some cases, questions were worded such that "heart attack" and "stroke" were
combined into one item rather than being asked about separately (e.g., a
response choice for one question was worded as "preventing heart attack or
stroke"). Therefore, it is not possible to determine how respondents would
answer for each cardiac event separately.
About the American College of Preventive Medicine
The American College of Preventive Medicine is the national medical
specialty society representing physicians committed to health promotion and
disease prevention. Founded in 1954, ACPM provides leadership in research,
professional education, development of public policy, and enhancement of
standards of preventive medicine. ACPM members include physicians Board-
certified in Preventive Medicine and in other medical specialties who have a
strong interest in health promotion and disease prevention. For more
information about ACPM, visit http://www.acpm.org.
About Bayer Consumer Care
The Consumer Care Division of Bayer HealthCare LLC, is headquartered in
Morristown, N.J. Bayer's Consumer Care Division is among the largest
marketers of over-the-counter medications and nutritional supplements in the
world. Some of the most trusted and recognizable brands in the world today
come from the Bayer portfolio of products. These include Bayer Aspirin(R),
Aleve(R), Alka-Seltzer Plus(R), Bactine(R), RID(R), Phillips' Milk of
Magnesia, Midol, Alka-Seltzer(R), One-A-Day(R) and Flintstones vitamins.
Bayer HealthCare AG, a subsidiary of Bayer AG, is one of the world's
leading, innovative companies in the health care and medical products
industry. In 2004, the Bayer HealthCare subgroup generated sales amounting to
some 8.5 billion Euro. The company combines the global activities of the
divisions Animal Health, Biological Products, Consumer Care, Diabetes Care,
Diagnostics and Pharmaceuticals. Bayer HealthCare employed 35,300 people
worldwide in 2004. Bayer HealthCare's aim is to discover and manufacture
innovative products that will improve human and animal health worldwide. The
products enhance well-being and quality of life by diagnosing, preventing and
treating disease.
About Harris Interactive(R)
Harris Interactive Inc. (http://www.harrisinteractive.com), the 15th largest and
fastest-growing market research firm in the world, is a Rochester, N.Y.-based
global research company that blends premier strategic consulting with
innovative and efficient methods of investigation, analysis and application.
Known for The Harris Poll(R) and for pioneering Internet-based research
methods, Harris Interactive conducts proprietary and public research to help
its clients achieve clear, material and enduring results.
Harris Interactive combines its intellectual capital, databases and
technology to advance market leadership through U.S. offices and wholly owned
subsidiaries: London-based HI Europe (http://www.hieurope.com), Paris-based Novatris
(http://www.novatris.com), Tokyo-based Harris Interactive Japan, through newly
acquired WirthlinWorldwide (http://www.wirthlinworldwide.com), a Reston, Virginia-
based research and consultancy firm ranked 25th largest in the world, and
through an independent global network of affiliate market research companies.
EOE M/F/D/V
1. Harris Interactive report on AAAAA results, slide 105.
2. American Diabetes Association. Diabetes and Cardiovascular (Heart)
Disease.
<http://www.diabetes.org/diabetes-statistics/heart-disease.jsp>
3. American Diabetes Association. National Diabetes Fact Sheet.
<http://www.diabetes.org/diabetes-statistics/national-diabetes-fact-
sheet.jsp>
4. American Diabetes Association. Aspirin therapy in diabetes. Diabetes
Care 2004;27(suppl 1):S72-S73.
5. Hayden M, Pignone M, Phillips C, Mulrow C. Aspirin for the primary
prevention of cardiovascular events: a summary of the evidence. Ann
Intern Med 2002;136:157-160.
6. Harris Interactive, op. cit., slide 107.
7. Ibid., slide 106.
SOURCE Bayer Consumer Care
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Related links:
http://www.senseihealth.com
http://www.acpm.org
CONTACT:
Anne Coiley, Bayer Consumer Care,
+1-973-254-4607; Katie Cline, SENSEI Health, +1-212-631-0505 ext.
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