JHS, DIABETES FOUNDATION, TEAM UP TO GET TO "HEART" OF DIABETES

Over the years, Dr. Herman Taylor, principal investigator of the Jackson Heart Study (JHS), has seen many friends, relatives and patients live and wrestle with diabetes. As their friend and cardiologist, he has been there for them through times of difficulty and moments of triumph.

Because diabetes is often a key risk factor for heart disease and because having diabetes can seriously complicate the diagnosis and care of heart problems, Taylor invests countless hours in educating the public about healthy diabetes management.

“Thanks to organizations like the Diabetes Foundation of Mississippi that fund research, care and education, the outlook for those with diabetes and those at risk for diabetes is improving,” Taylor said. “So I am passionate about the mission of the DFM.”

This passion, in part, has led Taylor and the JHS to team up with the DFM to educate the public about diabetes.

The JHS is the largest study of cardiovascular disease in African-Americans ever undertaken. The landmark study is a federally funded partnership among Jackson State University, Tougaloo College and the University of Mississippi Medical Center that is assisting researchers in finding out why African-Americans, particularly those who live in Mississippi, have a higher rate of death from cardiovascular disease than any other group.

Heart attacks are the leading cause of death in America, and for people with diabetes, symptoms of heart attacks can be silent – with no symptoms or warning signs, Taylor said.

“The good news is that with adoption of a healthy lifestyle and tight control of diabetes and the other risk factors – hypertension, smoking, cholesterol levels, body weight – people with diabetes can do extremely well,” he said.

Taylor, a member of the DFM board of directors said managing diabetes is one of the most important things to do to reduce the morbidity of heart disease. He said this management is holistic because it requires lifestyle changes, healthy dietary patterns and medications.

The seriousness of diabetes and the disease’s potential impact on cardiovascular well-being are something that Taylor takes to heart for more reasons than one.

“I am very worried about the wide differences in death rates between groups of Americans,” he said. “As Mississippians, we face much higher risk of death from heart disease than other Americans, and African-Americans in Mississippi are much more likely to die from heart disease, which is often caused or complicated by diabetes.”

JHS research indicates only 40 percent of African-Americans with diabetes have the disease under control. 

“The Jackson Heart Study provides a platform for future studies,” Taylor said. “There’s a lot we don’t know, such as why diabetes and obesity are more prevalent in African-Americans.”

Taylor’s passion for raising public awareness about the connection between diabetes and cardiovascular disease is what led him to the DFM eight years ago. 

“I am happy to serve in any capacity, and because diabetes is a major contributor to heart disease, the DFM was an organization doing the right thing at the right time,” he said. “Helping Mississippians is our mutual passion.”

Taylor and the JHS will be participating in Mississippi’s Walk for Diabetes on Sunday, Oct. 21, in Jackson. Sponsored by the DFM, the event includes a one-mile family fun walk and a 5k run. Registration will begin at 1 p.m., with the walk to follow immediately. For more information about the walk, call 1-877-DFM-CURE or visit the organization’s Web site (www.msdiabetes.org). 

(10-1-07)

2007-09-28 00:00:00 17377