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About 40% of all deaths from COVID-19 in the United States were in patients with diabetes, according to a new study.
This means that of the more than 608,000 Americans who have died from the disease since the start of the pandemic, about 240,000 had diabetes.
Diabetics make up only 10% of the population, making that number a staggering reminder of just how deadly the virus can be for people with the disease.
The statistic was found by analyzing data from the American Diabetes Association (ADA), which revealed the results at a conference last week.
Dr Robert Gabbay (right) said ADA analysis reveals 40% of COVID-19 deaths in the United States were in people with diabetes
Dr Robert Gabbay, scientific and medical director of the ADA, called the 40 percent figure “pretty sobering.”
“I can’t say it loud enough, if you have diabetes get yourself vaccinated,” he said in a conversation with HealthDay Now last week.
“Talk to your health care provider, discuss your concerns. But with the risk of hospitalization and death from COVID being six to 12 times higher for people with diabetes, it’s time to get vaccinated.
Diabetes has long been known to be a comorbidity that could lead to negative health effects in patients who contract COVID-19.
People with poorly managed diabetes are more likely to be admitted to an intensive care unit if they contract the virus.
Managing diabetes in the United States is not easy, however.
Insulin, a drug that many diabetics depend on, has seen its price skyrocket in recent years.
A vial of insulin cost an average of 75 cents per vial 60 years ago. It now costs around $ 250 per vial.
This makes purchasing insulin a challenge for the uninsured in America.
For some, choosing between buying insulin and grocery shopping is a regular choice.
“Access to insulin is critically important,” Gabbay said.
“The pandemic has made the situation worse. We surveyed and identified that a number of people had less access to drugs than before the pandemic.
“One of the things the American Diabetes Association has done to advocate for this issue is to work state by state to pass legislation. We’ve done it now in 19 states, to keep the overall cost of insulin down for many people in those states, so we continue to advocate in all other states, to make sure everyone who needs insulin can get it. ‘
Living with diabetes has become difficult in America, in part because of soaring insulin costs
States like Michigan have passed a bill limiting reimbursable insulin costs to just $ 50 per month.
Gabbay warns that obesity becoming more common in the United States will also make diabetes a bigger problem for the country.
Obesity is the main risk factor for diabetes, and being obese makes a person 80 times more likely to develop the disease.
It is estimated that 42% of Americans are obese and 73% of Americans are overweight.
The country’s obesity rate could reach 50% by 2030.
“Obesity is on the rise and is fueling the diabetes pandemic,” Gabbay said.
He also notes that the pandemic has hurt Americans financially, forcing many to eat poorer diets than before.
The ADA recommends that all diabetics in America get vaccinated when they can to avoid the potential negative consequences of the virus.
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