A new study that looked at treatment with metformin and pioglitazone in people with prediabetes found that the drugs significantly delayed progression to diabetes in some patients. However, additional long-term studies will need to be done before the FDA can approve these medications for at-risk patients. Read more
Metformin, also called Glucophage, is prescribed to more than 120 million people with diabetes worldwide. The drug works by reducing the amount of glucose produced by the liver and by increasing a patient’s sensitivity to insulin. However, a recent study found that in about 10% of patients taking metformin, it is also causing varying degrees […]
Subetta is a new drug currently under review for approval by the FDA and undergoing phase 3 clinical trials. By activating insulin receptors, Subetta has an antihyperglycemic effect, stimulating uptake of glucose by muscle cells. The trials suggest Subetta has a small but statistically significant additional blood glucose-lowering effect in people whose type 1 diabetes […]
The GLP-1 agonist class of diabetes drugs is known to be effective in helping patients reduce weight and HbA1c. Oral semaglutide, currently in phase 3 trials, would be the first non-injectable drug in this class. Compared with placebo, the trial found people with type 2 diabetes had significant reductions in HbA1c and weight loss while […]
A new drug called sotagliflozin is a dual inhibitor of SGLT-1 and SGLT-2, which means it helps limits the body’s absorption of excess glucose through both the intestines and the kidneys. A new study looked at the safety and efficacy of the drug as an add-on to insulin therapy in people with type 1 diabetes, […]
Patients with diabetes who were treated with metformin had almost a 50% lower risk of developing age-related macular degeneration (AMD), according to a new study. The protective effect increased with longer duration of metformin use and with the cumulative dose of metformin, according to the researchers. Read more
A recent study looked at whether statin use helps prevent heart issues in older people, with and without diabetes. In participants with diabetes, statins did significantly reduce the incidence of atherosclerotic CVD by 24% and all-cause mortality by 16% in those age 75–84 years. However, no benefit was seen in people with type 2 diabetes […]
Metformin has been used for decades as a first-line drug for treating type 2 diabetes. It lowers blood glucose levels by inhibiting glucose production in the liver, and also improves glucose uptake and use by muscle tissue. Yet until now, exactly how the drug works to increase glucose uptake in muscle tissue has been unknown. […]
New research supports earlier findings that the weight loss drug Belviq (lorcaserin) may play a role in helping delay or manage the progression of type 2 diabetes. In the study, Belviq performed better than a placebo in helping people with prediabetes and diabetes lower their A1C, effectively helping those with prediabetes avoid full-blown diabetes. Read […]
A new study has found that the GLP-1 diabetes drug semaglutide, combined with diet and exercise, can help obese patients lose significant amounts of weight. The GLP-1 class of drugs helps weight loss by suppressing appetite and delaying the movement of food into the small intestine. Semaglutide proved more effective than the older drug liraglutide […]
Taking aspirin is often recommended for its heart benefits, but do the benefits outweigh the risk for all people with diabetes? A recent study found that for people who do not already have heart disease, the risk of serious bleeding associated with aspirin use may outweigh the cardiovascular benefits. Read more
For patients with type 2 diabetes who need large doses of insulin, adding an SGLT2 inhibitor to insulin therapy can mean much less insulin is needed according to new research. Patients with daily insulin doses between 101 and 200 units experienced an insulin dose reduction of 17 units/day with the addition of canagliflozin (brand name […]
SGLT-2 inhibitor drugs (brand names include Invokana and Jardience) have many benefits, but have been associated with diabetes ketoacidosis (DKA), a serious kidney problem, in people with type 2. If you are taking an SGLT-2 inhibitor, it’s important to know the signs of DKA and how to protect yourself. Read more
Side effects of diabetes drugs like nausea and vomiting make them difficult to tolerate for many people, and may even cause some to stop taking their medications or take them at reduced levels. New research has found that modifying a key ingredient in GLP-1 type diabetes drugs produces a compound that was effective for hyperglycemia […]
New research suggests that adding an SGLT-2 inhibitor drug, dapagliflozin, to insulin therapy is helpful to patients with type 1 diabetes who are not able to maintain ideal blood glucose ranges with insulin alone. Because the drug can cause a slight increase in the kidney problem DKA, patients and their doctors should work closely together […]
When combined, SGLT2 Inhibitor and GLP-1 RAs drugs show multiple benefits in treatment of type 2 diabetes. According to studies, the drug combination can target most of the issues that contribute to glucose intolerance, aiding in blood sugar control, weight management, blood pressure reduction, among others. Read more
Sotagliflozin (brand name Zynquista), will be reviewed by the FDA as a possible adjunct treatment, along with insulin, for type 1 diabetes. If approved, it will be the first oral antidiabetes medication used in combination with insulin in patients diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. Read more
Many recent clinical trials of new drugs for Alzheimer’s disease have ending in failure, and now some scientists are reconsidering whether we’ve been looking at the wrong things in our attempts to understand and treat the disease. Some researchers are now looking at the relationship between diabetes and Alzheimer’s, and how insulin may be the […]
Researchers have conducted a study to examine whether it is possible to create a less invasive alternative to bariatric surgery that would be equally effective in reversing type 2 diabetes, and offer the same benefits as surgery. The treatment would be in the form of an oral agent that would temporarily coat the intestine to […]
Whatever your political views, it’s important to understand the implications of the new information issued by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) describing how the Trump administration plans to drop the prices for prescription drugs for all Americans. The first part of this plan will be implemented right away, while the second part […]
