Women with type 1 diabetes have a much higher risk of death from all causes than do men with type 1 diabetes, according to Dr. Rachel Huxley and her associates.
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The systematic review of studies published during 1966-2014 showed that the biggest differences were in vascular diseases, with coronary heart diseases occurring in women 2.5 times more often than in men and fatal cardiovascular events occurring nearly twice as often. Stroke and fatal renal disease occurred about 40% more often in women. No significant difference was found for cancer or for accidents and suicides. Overall, fatal events were 37% more likely in women with type 1 diabetes than in men.
In a related comment, Dr. David Simmons of the University of Western Sydney (Australia) said, “A key question is how the risk of excess mortality in women can be reduced further. Reducing the high type 1 diabetes mortality rates will need additional expenditure on the care of patients with the disorder, many of the benefits from which might not be seen for up to 20 years. The additional investment in the diabetes specialist and mental health services to be able to give the additional time that patients need, and into modern technology that can help reduce hyperglycemia while avoiding hypoglycemia and fear of hypoglycemia, must start now.”
Read the full study at the Lancet Diabetes and Endocrinology (doi:10.1016/S2213-8587(14)70248-7).