New Survey Shows Most Physicians Believe Diabetes Patients Are Not Receiving Appropriate Care For Diabetic Nerve Pain
April 19 2007 - 9:30AM
PR Newswire (US)
New Tools Now Available to Help Improve Diagnostic Communications
INDIANAPOLIS, April 19 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Results from a new
survey of more than 600 physicians (i) who treat diabetic
peripheral neuropathic pain, or diabetic nerve pain, reveal that
nearly all (97 percent) believe that the condition is often
misdiagnosed. Overall, findings from the survey, sponsored by the
National Pain Foundation (NPF) and Eli Lilly and Company, suggest
that more effective communication is needed to ensure proper care
for diabetic nerve pain. Additional survey findings show that: --
Most physicians surveyed (66 percent) reported that one of the most
commonly cited reasons leading to misdiagnosis is lack of
information from their patients -- Nearly two-thirds of physicians
(62 percent) believe that tools or guidelines that diabetes
patients can use to track diabetic nerve pain would be useful in
better diagnosing diabetic nerve pain -- The vast majority of
physicians (81 percent) want to find new ways to discuss diabetic
nerve pain with their patients To achieve these goals, the NPF and
Lilly are launching a new educational program called Talk Beyond
Pain: Understanding Diabetic Nerve Pain. This pro- gram will
provide patients who might be suffering from diabetic nerve pain
with the information and vocabulary they need to better communicate
with their physicians what they are feeling and experiencing. The
materials are avail- able for download at
http://www.talkbeyondpain.com/. Diabetic nerve pain includes
painful symptoms, such as burning, stabbing or shooting pain in the
feet and legs or hands and arms. The symptoms can make everyday
activities like driving and walking challenging, and can cause
feelings of frustration, sadness or fatigue. (ii, iii)
"Unfortunately, there is no single test that can definitively
diagnose diabetic nerve pain. Without a comprehensive understanding
of what patients are feeling and experiencing, including the
painful physical symptoms and their impact on daily living, it can
be easy to misdiagnose diabetic nerve pain and prescribe
inappropriate or inadequate treatment," explained Dr. Albert Ray,
chairman of the board of the National Pain Foundation and medical
director of Pain Medicine Solutions in Miami. "The survey findings
suggest that these conversations may not be taking place or not
occurring frequently enough, and more guidance for achieving better
care can make a huge impact on quality of life." Talk Beyond Pain:
Understanding Diabetic Nerve Pain offers education and tools to
help patients who believe they may have diabetic nerve pain
initiate conversations with their doctors. The following materials
are available: -- Talk Beyond Pain: Understanding Diabetic Nerve
Pain Educational Guide: This guide details the symptoms of diabetic
nerve pain, how they may impact everyday life, as well as ways to
manage the nerve pain. It also includes worksheets and checklists
to help people organize their thinking prior to a doctor visit so
they can have productive conversations and provide healthcare
providers with the information necessary for appropriate diagnosis.
-- Talk Beyond Pain: Understanding Diabetic Nerve Pain Personal
Diary: This diary helps patients in pain track their symptoms over
several weeks, as well as their overall well-being in connection
with their pain. There is also a section in the diary dedicated to
tracking progress to ensure people are getting relief from their
symptoms with their current treatment plan. "We hope that Talk
Beyond Pain: Understanding Diabetic Nerve Pain will help to bridge
the communication gap between people living with diabetic nerve
pain and their physicians, so they can get help and enjoy life
again," said Dr. Ray. The information provided by this program was
developed with guidance from the NPF and a group of leading medical
experts across different specialties who have come together to form
the Partnership for Helping People in Pain. Their goal is to help
open the lines of communication between patients and physicians to
aid in the diagnosis and treatment process. This partnership began
in July 2006 as an initiative between the NPF and Lilly, with
discussion surrounding diabetic nerve pain, the most common form of
neuropathic pain. Eli Lilly and Company provided both content and
financial support to the NPF for this educational campaign. About
Diabetic Nerve Pain Approximately 2.5 million people are affected
by diabetic nerve pain, however many people at risk are not aware
the condition exists. (iv) While the exact cause of diabetic nerve
pain is unknown, many factors may be responsible, including high
blood sugar, increased weight, smoking, high blood pressure and age
older than 40. (v) Though risk increases with age, people with
diabetes can develop nerve damage at any time. (vi) Currently there
are no medications that can reverse nerve damage; however, there
are medications that can treat the pain associated with diabetic
nerve pain. Diabetic nerve pain is not a normal part of aging, and
it can affect many facets of a person's life. With the right
treatment, diabetic nerve pain can be relieved and kept under
control. It's important for people who think they may have diabetic
nerve pain to speak with their healthcare provider to ensure proper
diagnosis and treatment. About the Survey The survey was conducted
online within the United States by Harris Interactive(R) on behalf
of the NPF and Lilly between September 18 and 22, 2006, among 605
physicians of whom 252 are primary care physicians, 253
neurologists and 100 endocrinologists who see at least one adult
diabetes patient in a typical week. Figures for gender, years in
practice and region were weighted where necessary to bring the
figures into line with their actual proportions in the population.
With a pure probability sample of 605, it could be said with a 95
percent probability that the overall results have a sampling error
of +/- 6 percentage points. Sampling error for data from
sub-samples would be higher and would vary. However, that does not
take other sources of error into account. The online survey is not
based on a probability sample and therefore no theoretical sampling
error can be calculated. About the National Pain Foundation The
National Pain Foundation, a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, was
founded in 1998 for the purposes of providing access to
peer-reviewed, unbiased information about pain to the public and
increasing public awareness of the inadequate treatment of pain.
These goals were based on the premise that trustworthy, credible
information would empower persons in pain to seek appropriate and
effective treatment and that increasing awareness of the public
health problem of inadequately treated pain would improve access to
appropriate pain services. The NPF believes that proper treatment
of pain conditions at any stage can restore personal functioning
and positively change the direction of a person's life. Pain is a
disease that needs to be evaluated and managed as comprehensively
as any other disease, as it causes untold suffering for millions
and is the leading healthcare cost to businesses and society. The
NPF believes that successfully increasing pain awareness and
empowering people in pain requires numerous perspectives, countless
efforts, and the collaboration of many organizations and
individuals. By providing objective, unbiased information to people
in pain, to healthcare providers, to insurers and to employers, the
NPF addresses the three primary causes of inadequate treatment for
pain -- the lack of credible information, the lack of validation of
pain as a significant public health problem and the invisibility of
pain. By educating people about pain and by explaining both
traditional and alternative approaches to treatment, the NPF
empowers patients to take a more active role in their treatment.
About Eli Lilly and Company Lilly, a leading innovation-driven
corporation, is developing a growing portfolio of first-in-class
and best-in-class pharmaceutical products by applying the latest
research from its own worldwide laboratories and from
collaborations with eminent scientific organizations. Headquartered
in Indianapolis, Ind., Lilly provides answers -- through medicines
and information -- for some of the world's most urgent medical
needs. Additional information about Lilly is available at
http://www.lilly.com/. O-LLY i 605 physicians, including 252
primary care physicians, 253 neurologists and 100 endocrinologists,
who see at least one adult diabetes patients in a typical week
participated in this survey. Survey participants were unaware that
this survey was sponsored by the National Pain Foundation and Eli
Lilly and Company. ii Neuropathy-Specific Quality of Life tool
[Note: Per correspondence with Dr. Vileikyte, the tool's developer,
the UK version is exactly the same as the US version with 1
exception: UK version says "novacaine-like sensations" and US
version says "pins and needles."]. iii Vileikyte L, Peyrot M, Bundy
C et al. The development and validation of a neuropathy -- and foot
ulcer-specific quality of life instrument. Diabetes Care; 26:9;
2549-2555, 2003. iv "American Diabetes Association Survey Finds
Most People with Diabetes Don't Know About Highly Prevalent,
Serious Complication." Available at
http://www.diabetes.org/for-media/2005-press-releases/diabeticneuropathy.jsp.
Accessed on October 5, 2005. v National Diabetes Information
Clearing House. "Diabetic Neuropathies: The Nerve Damage of
Diabetes." Available at:
http://diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/dm/pubs/neuropathies/. Accessed on
July 26, 2006. vi National Diabetes Information Clearing House.
"Diabetic Neuropathies: The Nerve Damage of Diabetes." Available
at: http://diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/dm/pubs/neuropathies/. Accessed
on July 26, 2006. (Logo:
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20031219/LLYLOGO )
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20031219/LLYLOGO DATASOURCE:
Eli Lilly and Company CONTACT: Charles McAtee of Eli Lilly and
Company, office: +1-317-277-1566, cell: +1-317-997-1627,
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