New UCI Health and UC Irvine research demonstrates strong correlation between type 2 diabetes medication use, heart health in Latino/a community
The findings underscore the importance of equitable care, timely treatment, says researcher
Orange, Calif. — New research from UCI Health and UC Irvine has found that active type 2 diabetes treatment patterns were associated with better glucose control and lower cardiovascular disease risk within the Latino/a population. These findings were presented at a recent American Diabetes Association scientific session.
U.S. Latino/a adults are at a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes due to factors such as unhealthy lifestyle habits, high rates of obesity, and socioeconomic barriers. This population is also at a higher risk of heart disease. Access to treatment and other interventions remains a challenge.
“More than 26,000 anonymized patients, 26.9% which were Latino/a, were included in our study,” said Dr. Wenjun Fan, MD, PhD, assistant professor of epidemiology & biostatistics at UC Irvine Joe C. Wen School of Population & Public Health. “We found that Latino/a patients, while younger, experienced even stronger glucose control and cardiovascular benefits compared to other patient populations, including those that received no treatment.”
“Furthermore, treatment modification corresponded up to a 42% lower risk for future cardiovascular events compared to no treatment. This association was notably pronounced and statistically significant among Latino/a patients with diabetes,” said Fan.
She is a member of a UCI Health and UC Irvine diabetes reduction partnership focused on the Latino/a community, providing comprehensive initiatives that integrate prevention, research and culturally aware treatment.
Additional findings from the group’s research include:
- Relative to non-Hispanic white patients, Latino/a individuals with diabetes were more likely to present with an earlier age at diagnosis, elevated baseline blood glucose level, and concurrently higher levels of socioeconomic disadvantage.
- A greater proportion of Latino/a patients with suboptimal glycemic control underwent treatment modification compared to non-Hispanic White patients in the UC Health system; these adjustments were associated with an absolute HbA1c reduction of up to 0.45 percentage points.
- Initiation of new medication, intensification of existing regimens, and transition to alternative drug classes were associated with 42%, 41%, and 38% lower risks of incident cardiovascular events, respectively, among Latino/a diabetes patients. Even continued maintenance on current therapy was also associated with an approximate 36% lower cardiovascular risk in the future.
“Our overall findings demonstrate the importance of equitable diabetes care and timely treatment for those in the Latino/a community, validating the purpose of the UCI Health and UC Irvine diabetes reduction partnership,” said Fan.
About UCI Health
UCI Health is one of California’s largest academic health systems and the clinical enterprise of the University of California, Irvine. Established on July 1, 1976, UCI Health has grown into a 1,461-bed health system that includes UCI Health — Orange, UCI Health — Irvine, its newest facility, UCI Health — Irvine Rehabilitation Hospital, four Community Network hospitals and a growing network of ambulatory care centers across Orange and Los Angeles counties. As Orange County’s only academic health systems, UCI Health is home to the only National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center based in the county, the region’s only American College of Surgeons-verified Level I adult and Level II pediatric trauma center, American College of Emergency Physicians Gold Level 1 Geriatric Emergency Department and a nationally recognized regional burn center verified by the American Burn Association. Powered by UC Irvine, UCI Health serves 5.6 million people across Orange County, western Riverside County and southeast Los Angeles County through excellence in patient care, research and medical education. Follow UCI Health on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and X.