Background: Patients' awareness of the increased cardiovascular risk associated with their diabetes is poorly documented.
Aim: The aim of this study was to assess the awareness of diabetes complications among patients with diabetes in Ireland.
Methods: Patients attending diabetes outpatient clinics in two teaching hospitals in different regions of the country were invited to complete a questionnaire.
Results: A total of 258 (59.3% male) patients completed the questionnaire; mean age 57.8 years. On questioning, 53.5% reported cardiovascular disease as a potential complication of diabetes, with awareness rates of 61.2, 17.1, 16.3 and 12% for retinopathy, stroke, peripheral vascular disease and amputation, respectively. Disappointingly, less than half of respondents felt that improvements in diet and exercise could potentially reduce their cardiovascular risk.
Conclusions: Awareness of cardiovascular risk and knowledge of effective measures to reduce this were low in our study and an alternative means of education may need to be considered.