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Street drug use among young patients with Type 1 diabetes in the UK
R S H Ng1, D A Darko, R M Hillson
1Diabeticare, Hillingdon Hospital, London, UK.
Background:
Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) and poor glycaemic control in young adults with Type 1 diabetes may be associated with street drug use. There are few studies in the UK looking at the prevalence of drug use in young adults with diabetes.
Methods:
One hundred and fifty-eight young adults, aged sixteen to thirty years, with Type 1 diabetes attending an urban diabetes clinic were sent an anonymous confidential postal questionnaire to determine the prevalence of street drug use.
Results:
We received 85 completed responses. Twenty-nine percent of respondents admitted to using street drugs. Of those, 68 percent habitually took street drugs more than once a month. Seventy-two percent of users were unaware of the adverse effects on diabetes.
Interpretation:
Self-reported street drug usage in young adults with Type 1 diabetes is common and may contribute to poor glycaemic control and serious complications of diabetes.
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