AstraZeneca Launches Diabetes Can Break Your Heart

 Announced on World Diabetes Day, the national movement will travel across America in 2020 to educate and activate communities around the connection between type 2 diabetes and heart failure

WILMINGTON, Del.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–AstraZeneca today announced the launch of Diabetes Can Break Your Heart, a national movement with a goal to change the trajectory of heart failure (HF) in type 2 diabetes (T2D). The initiative is designed to raise awareness, create community action and spark dialogue between those with T2D and their healthcare providers to help reduce the risk of HF—one of the earliest and most frequent cardiac complications for people living with T2D, often before heart attack or stroke, and an urgent public health issue.^[1,2]

Diabetes Can Break Your Heart will travel to several cities across America in 2020 to educate and activate communities around the inherent link between T2D and HF. The tour will bring together national and local advocacy organizations, key community leaders and the public with the common goal of empowering the diabetes community to demand more for their future.

Kiersten Combs, Vice President, US Cardiovascular & Metabolic Disease at AstraZeneca said: “Heart failure presents a serious threat to people living with type 2 diabetes, yet there is a lack of understanding and awareness of this common complication. While there is no cure for heart failure, there are important actions that can be taken today to help prevent or delay this complication of type 2 diabetes.^[3,4] The Diabetes Can Break Your Heart movement will look to drive this dialogue and empower those living with type 2 diabetes to act early to optimally manage their disease.”

At the core of the tour is the Diabetes Heartbreaker virtual reality experience which uses immersive, cutting-edge technology to heighten awareness of the T2D and HF connection. The experience aims to spark a sense of urgency around the steps people living with T2D can take today to help reduce their risk tomorrow. In addition to the virtual reality experience, a traveling airstream will be featured at each tour stop, offering educational tools and resources, access to local policy makers, and the opportunity to engage with the movement via digital platforms that will be rolled out throughout 2020. Those living with T2D and/or HF and their loved ones will also have the chance to share their stories of wisdom, strength and resilience.

Several organizations have joined the movement to help expand Diabetes Can Break Your Heart to local communities and nationwide including the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE), American Association of Diabetes Educators (AADE), Association of Black Cardiologists, Inc. (ABC), and Mended Hearts. In addition, Diabetes Can Break Your Heart shares common goals with Know Diabetes by Heart, a joint initiative of the American Heart Association and the American Diabetes Association, which is sponsored in part by AstraZeneca.

“People living with type 2 diabetes have a two-to-five times greater risk of heart failure than those without type 2 diabetes,” said Javed Butler, MD, MPH, MBA, Professor and Chairman, Department of Medicine, University of Mississippi. “As medical professionals, we have a responsibility to bring awareness to this inherent link – and I’m proud to join the Diabetes Can Break Your Heart movement to educate and empower patients to prevent heart failure sooner.”

The Diabetes Heartbreaker will make its public debut in the AstraZeneca booth (1725) at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions 2019 in Philadelphia, the City of Brotherly Love and Sisterly Affection, before hitting the road in 2020.

To learn more about the Diabetes Can Break Your Heart movement, including the Airstream Local Market Tour, visit www.DiabetesHeartbreak.com.

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NOTES TO EDITORS

About Diabetes Can Break Your Heart

Diabetes Can Break Your Heart is a national movement with a goal to change the trajectory of heart failure (HF) in type 2 diabetes (T2D), offering a powerful declaration and rallying cry to raise awareness, create community action and spark dialogue between those with T2D and their healthcare providers to reduce the risk of HF.

Diabetes Can Break Your Heart will travel across America in 2020 to educate and activate communities around the inherent link between T2D and HF through an innovative and immersive experience. The tour will bring together national and local advocacy organizations, key community leaders and the public with the common goal to empower the diabetes community to demand more for their future. To learn more about the Diabetes Can Break Your Heart movement, including the Airstream Local Market Tour, visit www.DiabetesHeartbreak.com.

About the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE)

The American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE) represents more than 6,500 endocrinologists in the United States and abroad. AACE is the largest association of clinical endocrinologists in the world. A majority of AACE members are certified in endocrinology, diabetes and metabolism and concentrate on the treatment of patients with endocrine and metabolic disorders including diabetes, thyroid disorders, osteoporosis, growth hormone deficiency, cholesterol disorders, hypertension and obesity. Visit our site at www.aace.com.

About the American Association of Diabetes Educators (AADE)

AADE is an interdisciplinary professional membership organization dedicated to improving prediabetes, diabetes and cardiometabolic care through innovative education, management and support. With more than 14,000 professional members including nurses, dietitians, pharmacists, exercise specialists, and others, AADE has a vast network of practitioners working with people who have, are affected by or are at risk for diabetes. Learn more at www.diabeteseducator.org, or visit us on Facebook (American Association of Diabetes Educators), Twitter (@AADEdiabetes) and Instagram (@AADEdiabetes).

About the Association of Black Cardiologists, Inc. (ABC)

Founded in 1974, the ABC is a nonprofit organization with an international membership of more than 1,800 healthcare, lay professionals, corporate and institutional members. The ABC’s mission is to promote the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease, including stroke, in Blacks and other minorities and to achieve health equity for all through the elimination of disparities. For more information on the NEW- HOPE study and the Association of Black Cardiologists, visit http://www.abcardio.org.

About Know Diabetes by Heart™

The American Heart Association and the American Diabetes Association launched the collaborative landmark initiative called Know Diabetes by Heart™ to comprehensively combat the national public health impact of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Visit KnowDiabetesbyHeart.org for resources.

About Mended Hearts

Mended Hearts is the largest heart patient support network in the world, with almost 30,000 members and 275 chapters. Recognized for its role in facilitating a positive patient-care experience, Mended Hearts partners with hospitals and cardiac rehab clinics to offer support through visiting programs, group meetings and educational forums. Mended Hearts inspires hope and improves quality of life for heart patients and their families through ongoing peer-to-peer support, education, and advocacy. Visit www.mendedhearts.org and follow us on Facebook @Mendedhearts and Twitter @MendedHearts.

About AstraZeneca

AstraZeneca is a global, science-led biopharmaceutical company that focuses on the discovery, development and commercialization of prescription medicines, primarily for the treatment of diseases in three therapy areas – Oncology, Cardiovascular, Renal & Metabolism and Respiratory. AstraZeneca operates in over 100 countries and its innovative medicines are used by millions of patients worldwide. For more information, please visit www.astrazeneca-us.com and follow us on Twitter @AstraZenecaUS.

References

1. Packer, M. Heart Failure: The Most Important, Preventable, and Treatable Cardiovascular Complication of Type 2 Diabetes. Diabetes Care 2018;41(1):11-13.
2. Shah AD et al. Type 2 diabetes and incidence of cardiovascular diseases: A cohort study in 1·9 million people. The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology 2015;3(2):105–13.
3. National Institutes of Health. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Heart Failure. https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health-topics/heart-failure. Last accessed September 16, 2019.
4. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Heart Failure Fact Sheet. https://www.cdc.gov/dhdsp/data_statistics/fact_sheets/fs_heart_failure.htm. Last accessed September 16, 2019.
5. American Diabetes Association. 10. Cardiovascular Disease and Risk Management: Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes—2019. Diabetes Care. 2019;42(suppl 1): S103-S112.
6. Roger, Véronique L. Epidemiology of heart failure. Circ Res. 2013;113(6):646-59.

 US-33710 Last Updated 11/19

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