Insulin was considered among the most efficient diabetes drugs.
A new research study analyzing hundreds of clinical trials for type 2 diabetes drugs hasn’t discovered which one is the most efficient. Not one single drug or a combination of drugs are better in preventing heart diseases, strokes or even premature death. However, researchers were able to gain some insight on various drugs and their side-effects.
Diabetes, in particular, type 2 diabetes, is one of the most common diseases in America and the world. Almost one in eleven Americans have it, and it’s usually linked to very high levels of blood sugar, obesity. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, in more severe cases and over time, diabetes can lead to other complications including heart diseases, kidney failure, and even nerve damage.
The high number of lives it affects has always been a very good incentive for creating a drug that can reduce its adverse effects. Many such drugs have been developed such as metformin and the well-known insulin, but there wasn’t much known about their compared efficiency. The study analyzed eight different types of diabetes drugs in different combinations in 301 randomized clinical trials. The results concluded that there was no conclusive winner among the drugs tested.
Although it didn’t determine which drug was the best, the researchers were cautious in drawing any conclusions. The trials were meant to test if and for how long different drugs can prolong people’s lives, how patients with similar symptoms react to various types of medication.
Unfortunately even this type of test proved inconclusive since according to researchers such as Palmer:
“there is no good evidence that one drug can improve life expectancy better than another.”
The main insight that resulted from the study is the bolstering of current recommendations first to try medication that have a proven track record such as metformin. This drug is older and cheaper than most but has some side-effects such as causing diarrhea and upset stomach. The main course of action is to find the most appropriate drug for your overall symptoms and adapt as your situation develops over time.
Are you suffering from diabetes? What drugs have you taken for it? What was the best one for you?
Image source:Flickr
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