Corporate Magazine 2012 - Boehringer Ingelheim

Metabolic diseasesDiabetesType 2 diabetes is a chronic, progressive condition thatcan damage the human body severely.Every year, 4.6 million deaths worldwide are linked directlyto long-term effects of diabetes. As the most commonform of diabetes, type 2 diabetes accounts for upto 95% of all diabetes cases in the developed world: itnow affects 371 million people worldwide and is imposingan enormous burden on healthcare systems globally.Without effective prevention and management, it is estimatedthat the number of cases will reach 552 millionby 2030.Long-term complications of diabetes include:Retinopathy with potential loss of vision, an increased incidenceof stroke and cardiovascular disease, peripheralneuropathy with the risk of foot ulcers, foot and legamputations, autonomic neuropathy causing gastrointestinal,genitourinary and cardiovascular symptoms andsexual dysfunction and nephropathy leading to renal failurewith potential risk for dialysis.Infectious diseasesHIV infection/acquired immune deficiency syndrome(AIDS)Acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) is a set ofsymptoms and infections resulting from the damage tothe human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiencyvirus (HIV). If untreated, this conditionprogressively reduces the effectiveness of the immunesystem and leaves individuals susceptible to opportunisticinfections and tumours. Babies of infected mothersare at risk of getting the virus during pregnancy, childbirthor breastfeeding.78Boehringer Ingelheim annual report 2012