Grant: Travel Awards - Institute Community Support

Diabetes is one of the most prevalent chronic diseases worldwide and is one of the primary risk factors for cardiovascular disease, the world's leading cause of death. If left uncontrolled, diabetes leads to a number of other chronic illnesses, debilitating complications, heart attack, stroke and death. Depression is common in people with diabetes and tends to result in poorer blood sugar control. Treatment of depression is generally associated with improved diabetes management; however evidence suggests that certain antidepressants result in metabolic changes that reduce the effectiveness of diabetes medications and impede diabetes control. Evidence about the impact of antidepressants on diabetes is inconclusive. Knowledge about the impact of these medications is critical as people's lives may be inadvertently put at risk. The overall aims of this research are to describe the antidepressant prescription pattern for Canadian patients with type II diabetes and measure the impact of antidepressant medications on blood sugar control. To achieve these ends, this study will analyze a large database of anonymized patient records from family medicine clinics across Canada. This research will provide important insight into the effect of antidepressants on diabetes control and what medications are currently being prescribed to patients with diabetes. The results of this research will inform best practice guidelines for depression treatment in patients with diabetes.