PHOENIX, April 20 As a leader in Clinical Diabetes Research, Dr. William Duckworth will receive the Barnwell Award April 22 at 1:15 p.m., VA Central Office Auditorium, 2nd floor, Room 230, 810 Vermont Ave NW, DC.
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(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100420/DC89689)
The Barnwell Award recognizes leading VHA investigators who achieve international acclaim for clinical research accomplishments advancing the diagnosis and treatment of diseases in the veteran population. The award comes with a three-year, $50,000 stipend to the PVAHCS to fund future diabetes studies.
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This award recognizes Dr. Duckworth's lifelong contributions to advancing diabetes care in patients with this devastating disease. Most recently he was initiator and co-chairman of the VA Diabetes Trial (VADT), along with Dr. Carlos Abraira, at the Miami VA. This 7.5 year 1,800 patient study examined the major cause of mortality in patients with diabetes, namely, cardiovascular disease. Cardiovascular disease is associated with more than two thirds of all deaths in patients with diabetes. The VADT sought to determine whether intensive glucose control reduced heart attacks, strokes, death from cardiovascular disease, and other diabetes complications.
VADT showed that intensive glucose control -- with glucose levels near normal in diabetic patients --did not decrease cardiovascular events, in a population with good blood pressure and lipid control. Another study, begun after the VA trial started, saw increased mortality with intensive glucose control in non VA patients. The trial found blood pressure and lipid control is essential in patients with diabetes, and glucose control can be helpful if begun early in the disease, and severe hypoglycemia is avoided. VA patients entering the study had good blood pressure and lipid control as part of their usual VA care, emphasizing the quality of care given to these patients and very intensive glucose control did not further decrease cardiovascular events.
In earlier work, Dr. Duckworth was instrumental in studying the use and value of implantable insulin pumps in type 2 diabetes patients.
"We are incredibly proud of Dr. Duckworth's achievements and we are grateful for his work in improving the treatment of type 2 diabetes," says Dr. Raymond Chung, Phoenix VA's Chief of Staff.
SOURCE Phoenix VA Health Care System
