A combination of insulin along with a new hormone like drug appears to be a safe and much more effective method to treat type II diabetes in comparison to the common treatment schedules used now.
The GLP 1 or glucagon-like peptide-1 agonists are a new class of injectable drugs which tries to mimic a gut hormone. The drug is already available for single use as a treatment for diabetes or in combination with any basal insulin. However it is for the first time the superiority of the combined intervention has been confirmed in treating Type II Diabetes.
Dr. Ravi Retnakaran, an endocrinologist at Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto explains,'The cornerstone of type 2 diabetes management is to try to get blood sugar levels as normal as possible. Unfortunately, we have a lot of trouble getting there in most patients, because of the limitations and side effects of most therapies.'
Diabetes is often known as the silent killer and it affects almost all major organs and systems of the body. As the blood sugar levels get closer to normal levels, the risk of abnormally low levels of sugar and weight gain increases. It can lead to higher risks of cardiovascular complications, a common occurrence in persons with diabetes.
The analysis clearly shows that combination therapy can deliver what is known as the ideal trifecta in treating diabetes. The trifecta is excellent control of blood sugar levels, without any increased risk for low blood sugar or weight gain.
The findings have been published on September 12 th issue of the Lancet.
The study involved the findings of the 15 previously conducted studies which were carried out on more than 4,300 diabetes patients. These investigations were concluded and published between 2011 and 2014.
The result: In comparison to conventional diabetes treatments, the combination therapy proved to be 92% more effective in overall parameters. The risk of low blood sugar was also equal in comparison to conventional diabetes treatments.
