Over 40 per cent of Canadians diagnosed with a life-threatening disease, such as diabetes, feel confused or overwhelmed after leaving their doctor's office, shows a Leger Marketing survey commissioned by the Rexall family of pharmacies.
When faced with the abundance of information, medication and tools needed for a disease such as diabetes, many Canadians are daunted by the prospect of managing their illness alone. To provide a convenient one-stop resource for Canadians living with diabetes, Rexall and Accu-Chek(R) recently launched the Rexall Diabetes Starter Kit to ensure the newly diagnosed receive high-quality information and guidance to help with their diabetes management routine. The kit includes all the tools and information they need - in one package - to begin their treatment (with the exception of prescription medication).
With this product, Rexall is providing a starting point for Canadians to ask their pharmacist questions about their medication management, the tools they'll need to monitor blood glucose and an opportunity to receive accurate information about the needs and requirements specific to their condition.
"It is essential that Canadians with diabetes are able to access the diabetes information and care they need in the communities where they live," said Ellen Malcolmson, President and CEO, Canadian Diabetes Association. "Having ready access to integrated healthcare teams, which includes pharmacists, physicians and diabetes educators will help to ensure optimal diabetes management outcomes for the more than 3 million Canadians who will be living with diabetes by 2010."
If left untreated or without daily supervision, diabetes can quickly spiral out of control and put the patient at risk of potentially fatal complications. According to the Canadian Diabetes Association, diabetes is a contributing factor in the deaths of approximately 41,500 Canadians each year and approximately 80 per cent of people with diabetes will die as a result of heart disease or stroke. Estimates show diabetes will cost the Canadian healthcare system $15.6 billion a year by 2010. However, with helpful tools like the Rexall Diabetes Starter Kit, Canadians with diabetes can educate themselves about their condition and take control of their daily management with ongoing care and attentiveness.