Diabetes researcher recognized with national award

Diabetes is a serious condition that is linked to high blood pressure, narrowing of the arteries, heart disease and stroke. According to the Heart & Stroke Foundation, people with diabetes are three times more likely to die of heart disease.

According to Libin Cardiovascular Institute Associate Professor Dr. Sonia Butalia, MD, a clinician-scientist at the Cumming School of Medicine, diabetes is the leading cause of adult blindness, limb amputation and kidney failure.

Diabetes is also on the rise in Alberta. In fact, a new population-based study, published in the Lancet – Public Health, revealed that almost 25 per cent of Albertans have prediabetes or diabetes. The study looked at 1.4 million Albertans ages 40 and older.

Butalia, senior author of the study, explains the research also looked at how many Albertans adhere to national diabetes screening guidelines, which recommend that adults 40 and older get screened once every three years.

The study found that only about 70 per cent of Albertan men and 80 per cent of women are following the diabetes screening guidelines. Of these, one in four are being newly diagnosed with diabetes or pre-diabetes, which is defined by elevated blood sugars nearing or above the diabetes threshold.

“For most people, there are no signs or symptoms of diabetes so screening is ever so important so people may get treatment to delay or prevent the onset of complications,” says Butalia. “Unfortunately, sometimes diabetes is first detected with a complication such as a heart attack or stroke.”

By detecting changes in blood sugars early, individuals and their doctors can take critical steps that will likely improve outcomes for patients. Individuals with diabetes can decrease risk of complications by making healthy changes, such as by having a good diet, managing stress and exercising.

“Pre-diabetes is reversable for some by adopting healthy lifestyle changes,” says Butalia. “Keeping an ideal weight, eating healthy foods, not smoking and getting at least 150 minutes per week of moderate exercise is excellent for preventing and managing diabetes.”

Butalia, who has sat on the Diabetes Canada National Guidelines and Methods committees since 2013, has a busy clinical practice specializing in diabetes. She also has a research program that focuses on finding innovative tools and strategies to improve diabetes care and cardiovascular risk factors.

National Award

Butalia was also recently recognized with the prestigious CIHR/Diabetes Canada Young Investigator Award, which recognizes the top young diabetes researcher annually.

She is humbled by the recognition.

“I am extremely grateful especially knowing of the amazing work that is going on across Canada in the field,” says Butalia.  “It is such an incredible honour to be recognized by Diabetes Canada and the CIHR (Canadian Institutes for Health Research).”

Dr. Sonia Butalia, MD, is an associate professor in the departments of Medicine and Community Health Sciences at the Cumming School of Medicine. She is a member of the Libin Cardiovascular Institute and the O’Brien Institute for Public Health. Butalia is the new medical director of the Physician Learning Program at the University of Calgary.