SYDNEY, Nov. 19 (Xinhua) -- More than one-third of Australians with type two diabetes will develop chronic kidney disease (CKD), raising their risk of cardiovascular mortality to "exceptionally high," scientists said on Monday.
In an editorial published in the Medical Journal of Australia, Professor Vlado Perkovic, executive director of the George Institute for Global Health Australia, and Ph.D. candidate Dr. Brendon Neuen, said that even more concerning was that the relative likelihood of cardiovascular disease-related death is substantially higher for younger patients.
According to the report, it's worrying that the burden of type 2 diabetes in young people is rapidly increasing worldwide. In little more than a decade, the number of people aged 20-39 with type 2 diabetes has almost tripled, rising from 23 to 63 million.
At present, clinical trials aimed at reducing the risk of cardiovascular events and death in patients with CKD have proved unsuccessful.
The report called for a redoubling of efforts to increase the number and improve the quality of trials.
"We also need to urgently identify treatments that slow the loss of kidney function and prevent cardiovascular disease in people with diabetes, especially those with established nephropathy," the scientists said.
Vlado and Brendonalso also suggested broader health strategies to prevent type 2 diabetes in the first place.
"We should embrace opportunities to take a lead role in advocating policies that recognize the environmental and behavioural drivers of diabetes and other chronic health conditions," they said.
