Diabetes rates increase in Saudi Arabia recording the highest levels internationally

The symposium is held in tandem with the World Diabetes Day and aims to unify the efforts of Diabetes doctors and family doctors to find and establish an effective mechanism to cure diabetic patients. The symposium has also shed light on all the up to date methods as well as the latest findings.

Dr. Abdullah Mosa, Head of the Organization Committee and Head of the Diabetes Unit in the King Abdul Aziz Medical City stated that the most important points discussed in the Symposium were reviewing the latest statistics related to diabetes in the kingdom and the gulf in comparison to the world, and discussing the economical side effect diabetes has on the individual and the country.

Consultant for diabtologist diseases in King Fahad Hospital in Jeddah, Dr. Samia Bukhari stated that the conference discussed the latest medical treatments which are taken orally by patients to cure the most common side effects for diabetes such as fibromyalgia, pointing out that some diabetic patients resolve to taking antibiotics which does not cure fibromyalgia. However, Lyrica is an effective medication on an international scale and has been approved by the American Food & Drug Administration (FDA). Doctors also discussed a variety of other common illnesses related to diabetes such as heart and eye diseases.

In his speech, Dr. Abdul Halim Jamal Kinsara, Head of the Heart Unit in the King Abdul Aziz Medical City in Jeddah, talked about the different ways to prevent heart diseases. Dr. Kinsara also discussed cholesterol, another common problem facing diabetic patients. "According to the latest statistics, the kingdom has topped the highest rate for diabetes internationally, recording in one year what the world recorded on a period of several years." Said Dr. Kinsara, stressing on the role of awareness to reduce the common heart diseases and other related health issues such as obesity, high blood pressure and high cholesterol.

The conference reviewed the effectiveness of Lyrica, a breakthrough medication which helps reduce heart and blood vessel diseases by 37%, and brain strokes by 48%.

Around 9% of diabetic patients die annually. Diabetes can causes 39% of artery diseases, 32% of diabetic patients suffer from kidney diseases that lead to kidney failure and 23% suffer from eye diseases. Diabetes is the main reason for foot amputation and is the main reason for depression.