Diabetes research and clinical practiceFeb 5, 2025

Meeting health goals in people with type 2 diabetes and heart disease risk in the UAE

GLP-1 Therapies Weekly Brief ↗PubMed ↗DOI ↗

Updated Apr 2, 2026

Abstract

In the UAE, 62.7% of participants with type 2 diabetes were classified as at high or very high risk for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.

A survey of 385 physicians indicated that most adhered to international guidelines for managing type 2 diabetes.
Among 542 participants in the UAE, only 45% achieved target HbA1c levels, compared to 37% in the broader Middle East and Africa region.
Blood pressure targets were met by 41% of UAE participants versus 30% regionally.
Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) targets were achieved by 36% in the UAE compared to 30% in the region.
Cardioprotective medication use was higher in the UAE, with 63% using SGLT2 inhibitors and 22% using GLP-1 receptor agonists, compared to lower rates in the broader region.

Simplified

AIM: The Prevalence of Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes across the Middle East and Africa (PACT-MEA) study compared cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk and 2021 ESC guidelines adherence between UAE and broader MEA region participants for enhanced type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D) and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD).

METHODS: A survey of 385 physicians explored clinical decision-making factors. Chart reviews of 3726 participants classified ASCVD risk as per 2021 ESC guidelines and compared T2D target achievement in primary and secondary care centers.

RESULTS: The survey highlighted factors influencing T2D management decisions, with most adhering to international guidelines. Among 542 UAE participants, 62.7 % were at high and 37.1 % at very high risk for ASCVD. Target HbAwas achieved 45 % UAE vs. 37 % in regionally, BP by 41 % vs. 30 %, LDL by 36 % vs. 30 %, BMI <25 kg/mby 20 % vs. 15 %, SGLT2is use by 63 % vs. 37 % and GLP-1RAs use by 22 % vs. 13 %, respectively. No participants met all ESC-recommended targets for T2D. 1c2

CONCLUSION: Physicians followed international guidelines, considering patient history, drug efficacy, and HbA1c levels for diabetes and ASCVD risks. In UAE, <50 % of at-risk individuals with T2D met ESC targets. Cardioprotective medication use was higher in UAE.

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Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

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Meeting health goals in people with type 2 diabetes and heart disease risk in the UAE

Abstract

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