Recent Posts
Metformin still formidable first line treatment for type 2 diabetes
DIABETES DIGEST – Oct. 31, 2014 – A new study in *JAMA Internal Medicine* found once again that metformin should be the first line treatment for type 2 diabetes, which isn’t really the news. The study also found that despite the guidelines recommending metformin first, only 57.8 percent of newly diagnosed patients began treatment with metformin. Since metformin became the standard of care for type 2 diabetes, six classes of drugs have been introduced including thiazolidinediones (Actos®) that remove sugar... more »
DIABETES DIGEST – Oct. 31, 2014 – A new study in *JAMA Internal Medicine* found once again that metformin should be the first line treatment for type 2 diabetes, which isn’t really the news. The study also found that despite the guidelines recommending metformin first, only 57.8 percent of newly diagnosed patients began treatment with metformin. Since metformin became the standard of care for type 2 diabetes, six classes of drugs have been introduced including thiazolidinediones (Actos®) that remove sugar... more »
Liver fat may be key to type 2 diabetes
DIABETES DIGEST – Oct. 17, 2014 – Obesity is associated with the rise in type 2 diabetes, but new research suggests that it is not just overall fat that causes insulin resistance, but liver fat. Dr. Victor Shengkan Jin, an associate professor of pharmacology at Rutgers University Robert Wood Johnson Medical School notes that excess fat in the liver is not just a condition of the obese; people of norm... more »
DIABETES DIGEST – Oct. 17, 2014 – Obesity is associated with the rise in type 2 diabetes, but new research suggests that it is not just overall fat that causes insulin resistance, but liver fat. Dr. Victor Shengkan Jin, an associate professor of pharmacology at Rutgers University Robert Wood Johnson Medical School notes that excess fat in the liver is not just a condition of the obese; people of norm... more »
Combination therapy scores trifecta in type 2 treatment
DIABETES DIGEST – Sept. 30, 2014 – Treatment that combines insulin with one of the newer GLP-1 blockers appears to provide exceptional blood sugar control without weight gain, a new study shows. The combination treatment had been compared in 15 studies, from which the researchers combined the data and re-analyzed the results in what is called a meta-analysis. The studies included involved 4,348 participants and the re-analysis was published in the Sept. 12, 2014, *The Lancet*. GLP-1, or glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists, are a class of injected drugs that work by reducing ... more »
DIABETES DIGEST – Sept. 30, 2014 – Treatment that combines insulin with one of the newer GLP-1 blockers appears to provide exceptional blood sugar control without weight gain, a new study shows. The combination treatment had been compared in 15 studies, from which the researchers combined the data and re-analyzed the results in what is called a meta-analysis. The studies included involved 4,348 participants and the re-analysis was published in the Sept. 12, 2014, *The Lancet*. GLP-1, or glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists, are a class of injected drugs that work by reducing ... more »
High-fat dairy may lower risk of developing diabetes
DIABETES DIGEST – Sept. 17, 2014 – Diet really comes down to complex chemistry that has multifaceted effects on health. As a result, a lot of nutrition research seems to show contradictory findings. Nowhere is this more evident than in the research into nutritional effects on type 2 diabetes. Some fats are good and some are bad as far as the risk of diabetes goes. A new study has shown that intake of high-fat dairy products seems to reduce the chance of developing type 2 diabetes. To look at which types of fats reduce risk of T2D while others seem to incr... more »
DIABETES DIGEST – Sept. 17, 2014 – Diet really comes down to complex chemistry that has multifaceted effects on health. As a result, a lot of nutrition research seems to show contradictory findings. Nowhere is this more evident than in the research into nutritional effects on type 2 diabetes. Some fats are good and some are bad as far as the risk of diabetes goes. A new study has shown that intake of high-fat dairy products seems to reduce the chance of developing type 2 diabetes. To look at which types of fats reduce risk of T2D while others seem to incr... more »
Pumping up control of type 2 diabetes
DIABETES DIGEST – Aug. 31, 2014 – For people with type 2 diabetes who have been unable to control their blood sugar adequately, an insulin pump may be the most effective therapy, results of a new study shows. Pumps outperformed multiple daily injections on several measures. The researchers found that people who used the pumps achieved an average HbA1C that was 0.7 percent lower than the multi-injection group. Among the pump patients, 55 percent reached the target range of 8 percent or less compared to 28 percent of those in the injection group. Patients using the pump also spent an... more »
DIABETES DIGEST – Aug. 31, 2014 – For people with type 2 diabetes who have been unable to control their blood sugar adequately, an insulin pump may be the most effective therapy, results of a new study shows. Pumps outperformed multiple daily injections on several measures. The researchers found that people who used the pumps achieved an average HbA1C that was 0.7 percent lower than the multi-injection group. Among the pump patients, 55 percent reached the target range of 8 percent or less compared to 28 percent of those in the injection group. Patients using the pump also spent an... more »
Blood sugar in hospitalized emergency room patients may predict type 2 diabetes
DIABETES DIGEST – Aug. 22, 2014 – During an emergency hospital admission for an acute illness it is common for patients who are not known to have diabetes to have elevated blood sugar. That factor has been linked to adverse outcomes in those patients. Whether this abnormally high blood sugar level is related to the risk of subsequently developing type 2 diabetes, however, is unknown. To see if this emergency room hyperglycemia might be an indication of underlying type 2 diabetes, Scottish researchers decided to look at a large number of such patients to see if they could find fac... more »
DIABETES DIGEST – Aug. 22, 2014 – During an emergency hospital admission for an acute illness it is common for patients who are not known to have diabetes to have elevated blood sugar. That factor has been linked to adverse outcomes in those patients. Whether this abnormally high blood sugar level is related to the risk of subsequently developing type 2 diabetes, however, is unknown. To see if this emergency room hyperglycemia might be an indication of underlying type 2 diabetes, Scottish researchers decided to look at a large number of such patients to see if they could find fac... more »
Low-carb and low fat may be better for managing type 2 diabetes
DIABETES DIGEST – July 31, 2014 – A comparison of low-carb vs. high-carb diets shows that while both diets improve blood sugar control and reduce cardiovascular risks, the very low-carb diet provided the most improvement. This study differs from previous studies of low-carb diets in several ways. The researchers compared a very low carbohydrate and low saturated fat diet to a high-unrefined carbohydrate, low fat diet in 93 people with type 2 ... more »
DIABETES DIGEST – July 31, 2014 – A comparison of low-carb vs. high-carb diets shows that while both diets improve blood sugar control and reduce cardiovascular risks, the very low-carb diet provided the most improvement. This study differs from previous studies of low-carb diets in several ways. The researchers compared a very low carbohydrate and low saturated fat diet to a high-unrefined carbohydrate, low fat diet in 93 people with type 2 ... more »
Statins may cut death from heart disease in people with type 2 diabetes
DIABETES DIGEST – July 17, 2014 – If you have type 2 diabetes and are at high risk of heart disease, taking a cholesterol-lowering drug might prolong your life. A new analysis of data from a study of type 2 diabetes found that the patients with high-risk for cardiovascular disease who were taking cholesterol-lowering statins at the start of the study had a 50 percent greater chance of being alive after the 8-year study as compared to those who weren’t taking the drugs. The analysis is published in the current online edition of *Diabetes Care*, and was done by researchers led by Do... more »
DIABETES DIGEST – July 17, 2014 – If you have type 2 diabetes and are at high risk of heart disease, taking a cholesterol-lowering drug might prolong your life. A new analysis of data from a study of type 2 diabetes found that the patients with high-risk for cardiovascular disease who were taking cholesterol-lowering statins at the start of the study had a 50 percent greater chance of being alive after the 8-year study as compared to those who weren’t taking the drugs. The analysis is published in the current online edition of *Diabetes Care*, and was done by researchers led by Do... more »
Surgery better than drug therapy for type 2 diabetes
DIABETES DIGEST – June 28, 2014 – If you have type 2 diabetes associated with a weight problem, surgery may be more effective for controlling your diabetes, not to mention your weight, than taking medications. Of course there is always a catch, in this case the effect may not last. Researchers and endocrinologists, doctors who treat diabetes and other hormone related conditions, met in Chicago last week at the annual International Society of Endocrinology and the Endocrine Society: ICE/ENDO 2014. One of them, Dr. Pietra Greenberg at James J. Peters Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Cen... more »
DIABETES DIGEST – June 28, 2014 – If you have type 2 diabetes associated with a weight problem, surgery may be more effective for controlling your diabetes, not to mention your weight, than taking medications. Of course there is always a catch, in this case the effect may not last. Researchers and endocrinologists, doctors who treat diabetes and other hormone related conditions, met in Chicago last week at the annual International Society of Endocrinology and the Endocrine Society: ICE/ENDO 2014. One of them, Dr. Pietra Greenberg at James J. Peters Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Cen... more »
Massive analysis shows diabetes may be bigger danger to women’s hearts
DIABETES DIGEST – May 27, 2014 – One of the things about participating in a clinical trial is that it is a gift that keeps on giving. Such is the case of a new study out this week that included data from people who participated in diabetes trials nearly 50 years ago. Data from those people added to others through the years keeps adding to researchers’ understanding of how damaging diabetes is. The result of the new investigation shows that women with type 2 diabetes appear to be at a much greater risk of heart disease than previous... more »
DIABETES DIGEST – May 27, 2014 – One of the things about participating in a clinical trial is that it is a gift that keeps on giving. Such is the case of a new study out this week that included data from people who participated in diabetes trials nearly 50 years ago. Data from those people added to others through the years keeps adding to researchers’ understanding of how damaging diabetes is. The result of the new investigation shows that women with type 2 diabetes appear to be at a much greater risk of heart disease than previous... more »
Cutting carbs better than cutting fat for type 2 diabetes patients
DIABETES DIGEST – May 16, 2014 – For years people at risk for, or diagnosed with type 2 diabetes have been advised to consume a low-fat diet, but a growing body of evidence is showing that it might be better to reduce carbohydrates. The latest study comparing type 2 diabetes patients on a low-fat or low-carb diet showed that the low-carb diet significantly reduced inflammation, whereas the low-fat diet didn’t. Inflammation may play an important role in type 2 diabetes, markers for inflammation in the blood are typically... more »
DIABETES DIGEST – May 16, 2014 – For years people at risk for, or diagnosed with type 2 diabetes have been advised to consume a low-fat diet, but a growing body of evidence is showing that it might be better to reduce carbohydrates. The latest study comparing type 2 diabetes patients on a low-fat or low-carb diet showed that the low-carb diet significantly reduced inflammation, whereas the low-fat diet didn’t. Inflammation may play an important role in type 2 diabetes, markers for inflammation in the blood are typically... more »
Go for a double over the ‘grand slam’ for breakfast
DIABETES DIGEST – April 30, 2014 – If you skip the pancakes and stick to the sausage and eggs on your Denny’s Grand Slam breakfast, you might be protecting yourself from developing type 2 diabetes. At least that’s the early conclusion of researchers at the University of Missouri who compared the blood sugar levels of healthy women who ate three different breakfasts. They presented their study results at the 2014 Experimental Biology meeting this week in San Diego, Calif. Previous research has shown that extreme increases in glucose an... more »
DIABETES DIGEST – April 30, 2014 – If you skip the pancakes and stick to the sausage and eggs on your Denny’s Grand Slam breakfast, you might be protecting yourself from developing type 2 diabetes. At least that’s the early conclusion of researchers at the University of Missouri who compared the blood sugar levels of healthy women who ate three different breakfasts. They presented their study results at the 2014 Experimental Biology meeting this week in San Diego, Calif. Previous research has shown that extreme increases in glucose an... more »
Thursday, April 17, 2014
Does Gastric Banding Help Overweight People With Type 2 Diabetes?
While the evidence showing that weight-loss surgery can halt type 2 diabetes in obese people grows, less is known about whether such a drastic intervention might also benefit people who are overweight, but not obese. (The difference between overweight and obese is a technical one. Obese refers to people with a body mass index of over 30. Overweight refers to people with a body mass index between 25 and 29.9. To calculate your own BMI, visit this link on the NIH website.)
Thursday, April 10, 2014
While the evidence showing that weight-loss surgery can halt type 2 diabetes in obese people grows, less is known about whether such a drastic intervention might also benefit people who are overweight, but not obese. (The difference between overweight and obese is a technical one. Obese refers to people with a body mass index of over 30. Overweight refers to people with a body mass index between 25 and 29.9. To calculate your own BMI, visit this link on the NIH website.)
Thursday, April 10, 2014
Ever wondered if you or someone in your family might be at risk of type 2 diabetes? Take the test March 25.
No need to prep for it, it’s free, takes about two minutes, and only asks a total of eight questions. It’s easy and it could give you something to talk about with your doctor.
(published site)
No need to prep for it, it’s free, takes about two minutes, and only asks a total of eight questions. It’s easy and it could give you something to talk about with your doctor.
(published site)
(published site)
Posted at 28th February 2014
by Michael O’Leary
In a variation on an old joke, family medicine experts at Tufts University are urging doctors to “talk with the hand,” as an easy-to-remember approach to illustrating treatment goals for patients with type 2 diabetes.
In an editorial in the February issue of American Family Physician, Allen Shaughnessy, PharmD and professor of family medicine, says that a simple use of one’s hand is an effective way to communicate with patients about the treatment priorities for type 2 diabetes.
(published site)
Posted at 28th February 2014
by Michael O’Leary
In a variation on an old joke, family medicine experts at Tufts University are urging doctors to “talk with the hand,” as an easy-to-remember approach to illustrating treatment goals for patients with type 2 diabetes.
In an editorial in the February issue of American Family Physician, Allen Shaughnessy, PharmD and professor of family medicine, says that a simple use of one’s hand is an effective way to communicate with patients about the treatment priorities for type 2 diabetes.
(published site)
In a variation on an old joke, family medicine experts at Tufts University are urging doctors to “talk with the hand,” as an easy-to-remember approach to illustrating treatment goals for patients with type 2 diabetes.
In an editorial in the February issue of American Family Physician, Allen Shaughnessy, PharmD and professor of family medicine, says that a simple use of one’s hand is an effective way to communicate with patients about the treatment priorities for type 2 diabetes.
(published site)
Friday, February 21, 2014
Can Low-Fat Yogurt Help Prevent Diabetes?
Posted Feb. 7 2014 by Ryan Luce
It is always nice when the foods we like turn out to be good for us. That seems to be the case this week for yogurt. We eat a lot of yogurt in this country, according to the Agricultural Marketing Resource Center, Americans consume about 12 pounds of yogurt a year, which is much less than the 63 pounds per year consumed in Sweden, but still a lot of fermented dairy product.
A British study this week showed that consuming low-fat yogurt reduced the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 28 percent compared to consuming no yogurt. The researchers published their results in Diabetologia (the journal of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes).
It is always nice when the foods we like turn out to be good for us. That seems to be the case this week for yogurt. We eat a lot of yogurt in this country, according to the Agricultural Marketing Resource Center, Americans consume about 12 pounds of yogurt a year, which is much less than the 63 pounds per year consumed in Sweden, but still a lot of fermented dairy product.
A British study this week showed that consuming low-fat yogurt reduced the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 28 percent compared to consuming no yogurt. The researchers published their results in Diabetologia (the journal of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes).
Eating More Berries May Cut Type 2 Diabetes Risk
Posted Jan. 29, 2014
Consuming lots of berries, vegetables, and of course our favorites, chocolate and wine can protect against type 2 diabetes, a new study shows.
Past studies have shown those foods protect against stroke, heart failure, and cancer. Most of those studies, however looked at the compounds called flavonoids, which form a large family of antioxidant-containing substances.
Posted Jan. 29, 2014
Consuming lots of berries, vegetables, and of course our favorites, chocolate and wine can protect against type 2 diabetes, a new study shows.
Past studies have shown those foods protect against stroke, heart failure, and cancer. Most of those studies, however looked at the compounds called flavonoids, which form a large family of antioxidant-containing substances.
Past studies have shown those foods protect against stroke, heart failure, and cancer. Most of those studies, however looked at the compounds called flavonoids, which form a large family of antioxidant-containing substances.
Can Cinnamon Help Prevent Diabetes?
by Michael O’Leary
If you are among the 1 in 4 Americans considered to have prediabetes, you might want to think about increasing your cinnamon consumption. That’s the conclusion of an analysis of several studies of cinnamon and type 2 diabetes in the Journal of Medicinal Food.
Long considered a therapeutic plant, cinnamon is made from the bark of trees grown in China and throughout Southeast Asia. A number of studies have been conducted over the years looking at a variety of potential health benefits of cinnamon. (published site)
by Michael O’Leary
If you are among the 1 in 4 Americans considered to have prediabetes, you might want to think about increasing your cinnamon consumption. That’s the conclusion of an analysis of several studies of cinnamon and type 2 diabetes in the Journal of Medicinal Food.
Long considered a therapeutic plant, cinnamon is made from the bark of trees grown in China and throughout Southeast Asia. A number of studies have been conducted over the years looking at a variety of potential health benefits of cinnamon. (published site)
Friday, December 6, 2013
Should People With Diabetes Drink Coffee?
Posted Dec. 6, 2013
by Michael O’Leary
Sometimes it seems as if scientific research is a little like the childhood daisy rhyme, “she loves me, she loves me not,” repeated as petals of the daisy are picked off. So many things are first thought to be good for you, then a new study shows not so much.
That has been the history of research into coffee and health, some studies show health benefits of coffee consumption and just as you pour that second cup, another study shows the opposite. Part of the reason for this, as Harvard nutrition researcher Dr. Rob van Dam explains, is that a simple cup of coffee is anything but simple. (published site)
by Michael O’LearySometimes it seems as if scientific research is a little like the childhood daisy rhyme, “she loves me, she loves me not,” repeated as petals of the daisy are picked off. So many things are first thought to be good for you, then a new study shows not so much.
That has been the history of research into coffee and health, some studies show health benefits of coffee consumption and just as you pour that second cup, another study shows the opposite. Part of the reason for this, as Harvard nutrition researcher Dr. Rob van Dam explains, is that a simple cup of coffee is anything but simple. (published site)
Thursday, December 5, 2013
Is Skipping Breakfast a Good Idea for Type 2 Diabetes?
written by Michael O’Leary
Could you skip breakfast and eat a large midday meal instead to get better control of your blood sugar?
That’s what a group of Swedish researchers wanted to know. They compared consuming a large Mediterranean style lunch with low-fat and low-carb meals among people with type 2 diabetes. 
The Mediterranean diet, which the International Diabetes Federation says emphasizes fruit, vegetables, beans, legumes, and nuts, has been credited with lowering heart disease, improving mental function and increasing life span among the obese, according to the Mayo Clinic.(published archive)
written by Michael O’Leary
Could you skip breakfast and eat a large midday meal instead to get better control of your blood sugar?
That’s what a group of Swedish researchers wanted to know. They compared consuming a large Mediterranean style lunch with low-fat and low-carb meals among people with type 2 diabetes.
The Mediterranean diet, which the International Diabetes Federation says emphasizes fruit, vegetables, beans, legumes, and nuts, has been credited with lowering heart disease, improving mental function and increasing life span among the obese, according to the Mayo Clinic.(published archive)
Could you skip breakfast and eat a large midday meal instead to get better control of your blood sugar?
That’s what a group of Swedish researchers wanted to know. They compared consuming a large Mediterranean style lunch with low-fat and low-carb meals among people with type 2 diabetes.
The Mediterranean diet, which the International Diabetes Federation says emphasizes fruit, vegetables, beans, legumes, and nuts, has been credited with lowering heart disease, improving mental function and increasing life span among the obese, according to the Mayo Clinic.(published archive)
Monday, October 14, 2013
CONQUERing Type 2 Diabetes: The SEQUEL
Posted at 14th October 2013 by Ryan Luce
Written by Michael O'Leary
If you are overweight and your doctor has told you that you are at risk for type-2 diabetes, you might avoid getting the disease with the help of a new drug, and of course diet and exercise, or at least, you might have a better chance of avoiding the disease than if you do nothing. (published site)
Written by Michael O'Leary
If you are overweight and your doctor has told you that you are at risk for type-2 diabetes, you might avoid getting the disease with the help of a new drug, and of course diet and exercise, or at least, you might have a better chance of avoiding the disease than if you do nothing. (published site)
Sunday, September 8, 2013
Does Metformin Help Decrease Chances of Prostate Cancer?
Posted at 8th September 2013 by Ryan Luce
written by Michael O’Leary
Metformin may be the aspirin of type 2 diabetes. It just seems as if the benefits of metformin therapy seem to grow the more researchers study it.
A case in point is new study published online last week in the Journal of Clinical Oncology. It showed that men with type 2 diabetes and prostate cancer lived longer and were much less likely to die of prostate cancer when treated with metformin.
written by Michael O’Leary
Metformin may be the aspirin of type 2 diabetes. It just seems as if the benefits of metformin therapy seem to grow the more researchers study it.
A case in point is new study published online last week in the Journal of Clinical Oncology. It showed that men with type 2 diabetes and prostate cancer lived longer and were much less likely to die of prostate cancer when treated with metformin.Wednesday, August 28, 2013
Do anti-psychotics and antidepressants cause diabetes?
Posted at 28th August 2013 by Ryan Luce
written by Michael O’Leary
The headlines about anti-psychotic drugs tripling the risk of type 2 diabetes is bad enough, but coupled with a seven-fold increase in the number of kids being prescribed these anti-psychotic drugs leaves one to wonder.
What are we doing to our kids?
 |
| Dr. Wayne Ray of Vanderbilt University |
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
Are GLP-1 Drugs Such as Januvia and Byetta Worth It?
Posted at 26th March 2013 by Ryan Luce
written by Michael O’Leary
Good news, bad news for people taking new class of type 2 diabetes drugs…
People with type 2 diabetes who take one of the newer add-on drugs have been whipsawed by the news this past week that on the one hand their drugs might lower their risk of being hospitalized for heart failure, while on the other the drugs might increase their risk of pancreatitis.
written by Michael O’Leary
Good news, bad news for people taking new class of type 2 diabetes drugs…
People with type 2 diabetes who take one of the newer add-on drugs have been whipsawed by the news this past week that on the one hand their drugs might lower their risk of being hospitalized for heart failure, while on the other the drugs might increase their risk of pancreatitis.
Monday, February 25, 2013
Is Oral Insulin on the Way?
Posted at 25th February 2013 by Ryan Luce
written by Michael O’Leary
Two companies announced clinical trials in the last three weeks aimed at bringing insulin taken by mouth to market.
Generex Biotechnology Corporation announced at the end of January results of a phase III clinical trial showing that its oral insulin spray Oral-lyn™ is as effective as subcutaneously injected regular insulin. The 12-week study conducted by an Indian licensee of Generex involved 209 men and women with type 2 diabetes at 14 clinics in India who did not have well controlled blood sugar levels with oral diabetic drugs.
Monday, December 31, 2012
More Evidence for Surgery for Type 2 Diabetes?
Posted at 31st December 2012 by Ryan Luce
Intensive lifestyle changes including diet and exercise were significantly more effective than standard counseling and medications for reversing type 2 diabetes, an ongoing federal study shows. But the success rate may add fuel to the debate for those advocating surgery as a more effective method of reversing the disease.
Funded by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), theLook AHEAD: Action for Health in Diabetes study began in 2001 and continues today, but is no longer recruiting participants.
Intensive lifestyle changes including diet and exercise were significantly more effective than standard counseling and medications for reversing type 2 diabetes, an ongoing federal study shows. But the success rate may add fuel to the debate for those advocating surgery as a more effective method of reversing the disease.
Funded by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), theLook AHEAD: Action for Health in Diabetes study began in 2001 and continues today, but is no longer recruiting participants.
Sunday, December 2, 2012
Is Victoza Better Than Bydureon?
In a head-to-head comparison of the daily type 2 diabetes drug Victoza and weekly injections of Bydureon, those taking the daily drug did significantly better in lowering their HbA1c than those taking the weekly injections.
The down side was that those taking the higher than normal dose of Victoza had more side effects.
In a head-to-head comparison of the daily type 2 diabetes drug Victoza and weekly injections of Bydureon, those taking the daily drug did significantly better in lowering their HbA1c than those taking the weekly injections.
The down side was that those taking the higher than normal dose of Victoza had more side effects.
Sunday, November 25, 2012
Good News For Potential Approval of Tresiba – A New Long-Acting Insulin
Last week an FDA advisory panel recommended degludec, a once-daily injectable insulin, be approved by the FDA, but will require Novo Nordisk to conduct additional trials to assess the heart risk that may be posed by the drug.
As reported by Fierce Biotech, Reuters and others the outside panel of non-FDA medical experts recommended approval by an 8-4 vote, but unanimously voted to require additional studies to assess the heart risk.
(published site)
Last week an FDA advisory panel recommended degludec, a once-daily injectable insulin, be approved by the FDA, but will require Novo Nordisk to conduct additional trials to assess the heart risk that may be posed by the drug.
As reported by Fierce Biotech, Reuters and others the outside panel of non-FDA medical experts recommended approval by an 8-4 vote, but unanimously voted to require additional studies to assess the heart risk.(published site)
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
Does losing weight help prevent heart attacks for people with type 2 diabetes?
People with type 2 diabetes who maintained a weight-loss of 5 percent of their starting weight over four years saw improvements in blood sugar control, sleep apnea, mobility and HDL cholesterol.
Despite those benefits, however, researchers were surprised to find no difference in the rates of heart attacks, chest pain and death from cardiovascular causes between the exercise group and the comparison group of type 2 diabetes patients who did not lose weight.
(published site)
People with type 2 diabetes who maintained a weight-loss of 5 percent of their starting weight over four years saw improvements in blood sugar control, sleep apnea, mobility and HDL cholesterol.
Despite those benefits, however, researchers were surprised to find no difference in the rates of heart attacks, chest pain and death from cardiovascular causes between the exercise group and the comparison group of type 2 diabetes patients who did not lose weight.(published site)
Does Qsymia Help Lower HbA1c? New Results From CONQUER Study
People with type 2 diabetes who participated in a study using a newly FDA-approved weight-loss drug reduced their blood sugar by an average of 0.4 percent compared to those in the trial who were taking a placebo.
(published site)
People with type 2 diabetes who participated in a study using a newly FDA-approved weight-loss drug reduced their blood sugar by an average of 0.4 percent compared to those in the trial who were taking a placebo.
(published site)
(published site)
Thursday, August 30, 2012
Is Weight Loss Surgery the Best Option to Prevent Type 2 Diabetes?
In a study that could lead to changes in doctors’ recommendations about weight-loss surgery for people at risk for type 2 diabetes, researchers have shown that the procedure may be twice as effective in preventing the disease as lifestyle changes.
In a study that could lead to changes in doctors’ recommendations about weight-loss surgery for people at risk for type 2 diabetes, researchers have shown that the procedure may be twice as effective in preventing the disease as lifestyle changes.
Why is Actos banned in France and Germany – but just made cheaper in U.S.?
Less than a week after France and Germany banned the use of pioglitazone, the FDA approved a generic version of the drug Actos for adults with type 2 diabetes.
As reported by Medpage Today, generic drug manufacturer Mylan Pharmaceticals was given approval for three dose levels of the drug, 15 mg, 30 mg and 45 mg. The approval comes just a year after the FDA approved updated labeling warning of bladder cancer risk for drug combinations using pioglitazone. The generic version will include the same warnings about heart failure and increased bladder cancer risk as the brand name versions.
(published site)
As reported by Medpage Today, generic drug manufacturer Mylan Pharmaceticals was given approval for three dose levels of the drug, 15 mg, 30 mg and 45 mg. The approval comes just a year after the FDA approved updated labeling warning of bladder cancer risk for drug combinations using pioglitazone. The generic version will include the same warnings about heart failure and increased bladder cancer risk as the brand name versions.
(published site)
(published site)
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
Can Curry Help Prevent Type 2 Diabetes?
Posted at 7th August 2012 by Ryan Luce
written by Michael O’Leary
A supplement containing one of the ingredients in curry spice has been reported to prevent new development of type 2 diabetes among people at high risk for the disease.
The study, appearing July 29, 2012 in the journal Diabetes Care was widely reported by a number of major news outlets, including Reuters, USA Today, and MSNBC, among others.
(published site)
(published site)
MONDAY, JULY 2, 2012
Avandia, Actos May Raise Risk of Macular Edema
July 2nd, 2012
written by Michael O’Leary
written by Michael O’Leary
In a large observational study there appears to be a link between a commonly used drug for type 2 diabetes and an increased risk of macular edema, or swelling of the base of the retina, which is responsible for central vision.
(Published site)
FRIDAY, JUNE 15, 2012
Dulaglutide Shows Evidence At Helping Manage Blood Pressure for Type 2 Diabetes
People with type 2 diabetes may find that a new GLP-1 drug being tested in clinical trials may help to control both their blood sugar and their high blood pressure.
A large study was presented last week at the 27th American Society of Hypertension Scientific Meeting by Tulane University School of Medicine researchers. Led by Dr. Keith C. Ferdinand, the researchers found that the drug, dulaglutide being developed by Eli Lilly, lowered blood pressure by a significant amount compared to a placebo. (Published site)
THURSDAY, JUNE 14, 2012
Do People With Type 2 Diabetes Have a Higher Risk of Colon Cancer?
written by Michael O’Leary
It was recently a good news, bad news week for people with type 2 diabetes. A study inDiabetes Care showed that people with diabetes are living longer. As reported by the New York Daily News, deaths from all causes among people with either type of diabetes dropped by 23 percent between 1997 and 2006. Most of the drop in deaths was attributed to better screening and treatments for cardiovascular disease.
On the same day at the Digestive Disease Week conference in San Diego researchers from Washington University in St. Louis found that among a sample of 125 people aged 40-49 with type 2 diabetes were diagnosed with colon cancer at twice the rate as a similar sample of same-aged people without diabetes. (Published site)
It was recently a good news, bad news week for people with type 2 diabetes. A study inDiabetes Care showed that people with diabetes are living longer. As reported by the New York Daily News, deaths from all causes among people with either type of diabetes dropped by 23 percent between 1997 and 2006. Most of the drop in deaths was attributed to better screening and treatments for cardiovascular disease.On the same day at the Digestive Disease Week conference in San Diego researchers from Washington University in St. Louis found that among a sample of 125 people aged 40-49 with type 2 diabetes were diagnosed with colon cancer at twice the rate as a similar sample of same-aged people without diabetes. (Published site)
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 13, 2012
Is Bariatric Surgery Better Than Other Ways of Losing Weight?
written by Michael O’Leary
It is not so much how you lose the weight as it is how much weight you lose that makes the difference in improving type 2 diabetes.
An ongoing large study presented May 7 at the International Congress of Endocrinology/European Congress of Endocrinology in Florence, Italy is showing that the of different types of weight-loss surgery made little difference in diabetes control in comparison to the amount of weight lost. (Published site)
It is not so much how you lose the weight as it is how much weight you lose that makes the difference in improving type 2 diabetes.
An ongoing large study presented May 7 at the International Congress of Endocrinology/European Congress of Endocrinology in Florence, Italy is showing that the of different types of weight-loss surgery made little difference in diabetes control in comparison to the amount of weight lost. (Published site)
Is a High Fat Diet Okay for Type 2 Diabetes?
June 13th, 2012
written by Michael O’Leary
If you have type 2 diabetes, you know that diet and exercise are the first treatments your doctor prescribes, and the diet recommended is likely a low-fat diet. But a new study suggests that the opposite might be better for weight loss and controlling blood sugar, at least to start. (Published site)
If you have type 2 diabetes, you know that diet and exercise are the first treatments your doctor prescribes, and the diet recommended is likely a low-fat diet. But a new study suggests that the opposite might be better for weight loss and controlling blood sugar, at least to start. (Published site)
WEDNESDAY, MAY 2, 2012
Double Whammy for Kids with Type 2 Diabetes
The news this week in the New England Journal of Medicine carried a double blow for parents of children diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. The first blow was finding that adding Avandia (rosiglitazone) or exercise to metformin was only slightly more effective at controlling blood sugar than metformin alone.
More disappointing than that, the researchers were surprised at how quickly many of the kids needed to switch to insulin injections to achieve blood sugar control.
As reported by MedPage Today, co-author Dr. Phil Zeitler, of the University of Colorado in Denver said that for some kids who are unable to get their blood sugar under control, adding Avandia may be beneficial. Determining who those kids may be however, may prove challenging as only a little more half of the kids in the study given the dual drug therapy achieved blood sugar control. (Published site)
May 2nd, 2012
written by Michael O’LearyThe news this week in the New England Journal of Medicine carried a double blow for parents of children diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. The first blow was finding that adding Avandia (rosiglitazone) or exercise to metformin was only slightly more effective at controlling blood sugar than metformin alone.
More disappointing than that, the researchers were surprised at how quickly many of the kids needed to switch to insulin injections to achieve blood sugar control.
As reported by MedPage Today, co-author Dr. Phil Zeitler, of the University of Colorado in Denver said that for some kids who are unable to get their blood sugar under control, adding Avandia may be beneficial. Determining who those kids may be however, may prove challenging as only a little more half of the kids in the study given the dual drug therapy achieved blood sugar control. (Published site)
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 25, 2012
Does Naturopathy Help Diabetes?
Would you go to a naturopathic doctor if it would help you lower your HbA1c? A new joint study by researchers at the Group Health Research Institute and Bastyr University Research Institute has found that such an approach might help people with poorly controlled type 2 diabetes lower their blood sugar by twice as much as similar patients treated with conventional therapy alone. (Published site)
April 25th, 2012
Written by Michael O'Leary
Written by Michael O'Leary
Would you go to a naturopathic doctor if it would help you lower your HbA1c? A new joint study by researchers at the Group Health Research Institute and Bastyr University Research Institute has found that such an approach might help people with poorly controlled type 2 diabetes lower their blood sugar by twice as much as similar patients treated with conventional therapy alone. (Published site)
TUESDAY, APRIL 24, 2012
Victoza Wins Head-To-Head Battle With Januvia
If you take Victoza to help control your blood sugar for type 2 diabetes, you can now officially wear the foam finger proclaiming your team is number one.
The FDA this week approved an expanded label for Victoza showing data from two large trials that compared Victoza head-to-head with Januvia®. In both studies, Victoza won 2-0 for superior blood sugar control and weight loss. (Published site)
If you take Victoza to help control your blood sugar for type 2 diabetes, you can now officially wear the foam finger proclaiming your team is number one.
The FDA this week approved an expanded label for Victoza showing data from two large trials that compared Victoza head-to-head with Januvia®. In both studies, Victoza won 2-0 for superior blood sugar control and weight loss. (Published site)
FRIDAY, APRIL 13, 2012
Will Albiglutide Be Approved?
British pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline announced this week that it was ready to submit its once-weekly drug for controlling blood sugar for approval. The announcement came following the results of a series of clinical trials, called HARMONY, that have shown effectiveness without wowing investors.
As reported by MedPage Today and the Wall Street Journal, the trial results for HARMONY 6, released April 3, showed that albiglutide reduced HbA1c levels by .82 percent compared to a .66 percent reduction for patients taking insulin before meals.
April 13th, 2012
British pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline announced this week that it was ready to submit its once-weekly drug for controlling blood sugar for approval. The announcement came following the results of a series of clinical trials, called HARMONY, that have shown effectiveness without wowing investors.
As reported by MedPage Today and the Wall Street Journal, the trial results for HARMONY 6, released April 3, showed that albiglutide reduced HbA1c levels by .82 percent compared to a .66 percent reduction for patients taking insulin before meals.
THURSDAY, APRIL 12, 2012
Metformin Also Helps Pancreatic Cancer Patients
A new study shows that people with diabetes and pancreatic cancer may live longer if they take metformin. In fact, those prescribed metformin had a 32 percent lower risk for death compared to those who didn’t take metformin.
Whether taking metformin might prevent people with diabetes from developing pancreatic cancer, however, is unknown.
This is mostly because the relationship between diabetes and pancreatic cancer is unclear. While about 80 percent of those diagnosed with pancreatic cancer also have diabetes, researchers have been unable to determine if the diabetes causes the cancer, or whether the cancer causes the diabetes.
A 2003 review of multiple studies of the link between the two found that there is no simple answer to which is the cause and which is the result, and that neither theory excludes the possibility that pancreatic cancer is both caused by diabetes and causes diabetes. (Published site)
April 12th, 2012
Whether taking metformin might prevent people with diabetes from developing pancreatic cancer, however, is unknown.
This is mostly because the relationship between diabetes and pancreatic cancer is unclear. While about 80 percent of those diagnosed with pancreatic cancer also have diabetes, researchers have been unable to determine if the diabetes causes the cancer, or whether the cancer causes the diabetes.
A 2003 review of multiple studies of the link between the two found that there is no simple answer to which is the cause and which is the result, and that neither theory excludes the possibility that pancreatic cancer is both caused by diabetes and causes diabetes. (Published site)
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 11, 2012
If you are a mouse with human pancreatic islet cells in your body, taking a common drug for high blood pressure appears to reverse thediabetes-related death of those islet cells, which is good news for mice involved in diabetes research.
March 19th, 2012
Thirty years ago a tiny corkscrew-shaped bug that is commonly found in people’s stomachs was positively identified as the culprit in 70 percent to 90 percent of peptic ulcers.Since then the rap sheet on this bug has grown. Not only are ulcers caused by H. Pylori, it has also been linked to an increased risk of stomach cancer, stomach lymphoma, iron deficiency anemia and unexplained low platelet counts. (Published site)
FRIDAY, MARCH 16, 2012
Tradjenta and Metformin Sing a Duet
written by Michael O’Leary
If you are taking metformin and Tradjenta to control your type 2 diabetes, Eli Lilly and Company has a new combination drug for you.
With a name that sounds more like a drug you’d buy at a cantina in Tijuana, Jentadueto was launched for U.S. sales with a Lilly press release Mar. 7. Developed in conjunction with its German partner Boehringer Ingelheim, Jentadueto combines the DPP-4 inhibitor in Lilly’s Tradjenta with metformin in a twice-daily pill. (Published site)
If you are taking metformin and Tradjenta to control your type 2 diabetes, Eli Lilly and Company has a new combination drug for you.With a name that sounds more like a drug you’d buy at a cantina in Tijuana, Jentadueto was launched for U.S. sales with a Lilly press release Mar. 7. Developed in conjunction with its German partner Boehringer Ingelheim, Jentadueto combines the DPP-4 inhibitor in Lilly’s Tradjenta with metformin in a twice-daily pill. (Published site)
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2012
Can Vinegar Help Diabetes?
If you have type 2 diabetes, you may have heard that a spoonful of vinegar before or after a high-carb meal will prevent a blood sugar spike. Like most doctors you probably dismiss the claim as an old-wive’s tale, or a folk remedy with no scientific basis.True, medicinal benefits of apple cider vinegar have been claimed for everything from arthritis to weight loss, asthma, colitis and food poisoning, in addition to claims for lowering blood sugar after high carbohydrate meal. (Published site)
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2012
American College of Physicians Now Recommends Metformin For Initial Type 2 Diabetes Treatment
Several years ago the American Diabetes Association recommended diet and exercise as the initial treatment for type 2 diabetes. As well as that might work for most people, it is very difficult to stick with diet and exercise to maintain your blood sugar levels. The ADA acknowledged that reality some time ago and added to their guidelines starting newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes with metformin. (Published site)WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2012
Another week, another drug approved for type 2 diabetes
written by Michael O’Leary
If it seems there is another new drug given FDA approval for treatment of type 2 diabetes every week, you are not imaging things. Last week, once-a-week injection formula BYDUREON was approved.
This week the FDA approved another once-daily pill to help people with type 2 diabetes control their blood sugarlevels. The new drug is a combination of sitagliptin and metformin and MERCK is marketing it under the brand name Janumet XR®, the XR is for extended release. (Published site)
If it seems there is another new drug given FDA approval for treatment of type 2 diabetes every week, you are not imaging things. Last week, once-a-week injection formula BYDUREON was approved.
This week the FDA approved another once-daily pill to help people with type 2 diabetes control their blood sugarlevels. The new drug is a combination of sitagliptin and metformin and MERCK is marketing it under the brand name Janumet XR®, the XR is for extended release. (Published site)
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2012
FDA Finally Approves Bydureon
February 6th, 2012 written by Michael O’Leary
Try, try again. After three tries BYDUREON, the once-a-week version of Byetta received FDA approval last Friday, Jan. 27. The approval follows two earlier rejections by the FDA, which each time asked for more data.
BYETTA® (exenatide) was developed by Amylin Pharmeceuticals and Eli Lily. The twice-daily injection drug was the first glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist to be approved by the FDA for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. GLP-1 stimulates the release of insulin when glucose levels become too high. (Published site)
Try, try again. After three tries BYDUREON, the once-a-week version of Byetta received FDA approval last Friday, Jan. 27. The approval follows two earlier rejections by the FDA, which each time asked for more data.
BYETTA® (exenatide) was developed by Amylin Pharmeceuticals and Eli Lily. The twice-daily injection drug was the first glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist to be approved by the FDA for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. GLP-1 stimulates the release of insulin when glucose levels become too high. (Published site)FRIDAY, JANUARY 20, 2012
Do Byetta and Victoza Help You Lose Weight?
written by Michael O’Leary
If like many people, a component of your type 2 diabetes is being overweight, then the new class of drugs, called GLP-1 agonists, may help you lose more weight than older oral drugs for controlling blood sugar.
That’s the conclusion of a new study that analyzed the data from 25 trials involving 6,411 patients conducted over the last seven years. The first GLP-1 drug to receive FDA approval was Byetta®, which is injected twice daily into the abdomen, thigh or shoulder an hour before breakfast and dinner. Victoza® is a long-acting GLP-1 agonist injected once daily. Bydureon® is a once-a-week injection formula of Byetta. (Published site)
 |
| Dr. Tina Vilsboll |
That’s the conclusion of a new study that analyzed the data from 25 trials involving 6,411 patients conducted over the last seven years. The first GLP-1 drug to receive FDA approval was Byetta®, which is injected twice daily into the abdomen, thigh or shoulder an hour before breakfast and dinner. Victoza® is a long-acting GLP-1 agonist injected once daily. Bydureon® is a once-a-week injection formula of Byetta. (Published site)
MONDAY, JANUARY 9, 2012
Low-blood sugar episodes linked to higher survival
January 9th, 2012
written by Michael O’Leary
Adults with type 2 diabetes who maintain intensive blood sugar control experience more low-blood sugar events than similar people with diabetes who maintain their blood sugar in the standard target range, but they also have a slightly lower risk of dying.
That is the result of an analysis of 10,096 people who participated in the Action to Control Cardiovascular Risk in Diabetes (ACCORD) study, led by Dr. Elizabeth Seaquist, of the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis.
The results reported by HealthDay News on the DoctorsLoungewebsite were published in the Dec. 16 Diabetes Care.
(Published site)
written by Michael O’Leary
 |
| Dr. Elizabeth Seaquist |
That is the result of an analysis of 10,096 people who participated in the Action to Control Cardiovascular Risk in Diabetes (ACCORD) study, led by Dr. Elizabeth Seaquist, of the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis.
The results reported by HealthDay News on the DoctorsLoungewebsite were published in the Dec. 16 Diabetes Care.
(Published site)
TUESDAY, JANUARY 3, 2012
written by Michael O’Leary
That’s the finding of a survey of more than 8,000 adults, 6,867 of whom have type 2 diabetes conducted by the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. The survey results appear online Dec. 16 in the journalDiabetes Care.
The survey involved U.S. adults 50 years or older, and included 1,621 people without diabetes and 6,867 people with type 2 diabetes. Participants had to have been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes after age 30 and had not started insulin therapy within a year of being diagnosed. Vitamin B12 deficiency was defined as concentrations of the vitamin in the blood below 148 pmol/L, and borderline deficiency was between 148 and 221 pmol/L. (Published site)
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2011
Should People With Type 2 Diabetes Get Hepatitis B Vaccine?
December 30, 2011
written by Michael O’Leary
Adults 23 to 59 with type 2 diabetes are about twice as likely to develop hepatitis B, compared to people without diabetes.
Citing that result from an accumulation of data monitored by the Centers for Disease Control’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, the agency issued a recommendation that all unvaccinated adults under 60 with diabetes should get vaccinated for hepatitis B.
As reported by MedPage Today the CDC published its findings and recommendation in the Dec. 23, issue ofMorbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. (Link to published site)
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2011
Thirty Minutes of Exercise Per Week May Help Type 2 Diabetes
December 20, 2011
 |
| Jonathan Little |
written by Michael O’Leary
Can’t do 150 minutes of exercise per week? Maybe 30 minutes of intense training each week can help control your type 2 diabetes.
If you have type 2 diabetes and find it hard to fit in the 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise a week recommended by the American Diabetes Association, there may be a way to get as much benefit from 30 minutes a week, a small new study suggests.
Led by Jonathan Little, of the Departments of Kinesiology and of Pediatrics and Medicine at McMaster University, Ontario, the researchers found that six high-intensity training sessions totaling only 30 minutes per week for two weeks rapidly reduced high blood sugar and increased the capacity of skeletal muscles to use oxygen. (Link to published site)
MONDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2011
Dapagliflozin maintains HbA1c control as companies seek to bolster case for approval
December 19, 2011
written by Michael O’Leary
 |
| Dr. Krzysztof Strojek |
Adding dapagliflozin to glimepiride (Amaryl®) maintained reductions of blood sugar levels over nearly six months, in an extension of a study that had already shown that the combination of type-2 diabetes drugs was better than either drug alone.
The Polish study, extended to add data to the case for FDA approval of dapagliflozin by AstraZeneca and Bristol-Myers Squibb, was presented at the Diabetes Federation World Diabetes Congress in Dubai, United Arab Emirates this past week. (Link to published site)
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2011
Omega-3 margarine may reduce second heart attack risk for type 2 diabetes
December 16, 2011
written by Michael O’Leary
If you have diabetes, the margarine you use may reduce your risk of a heart attack, a Dutch study shows.
A group of men diagnosed with diabetes who added margarine with Omega-3 fatty acids to their diets after having heart attacks experienced an 84 percent reduction in abnormal heart rhythms after their heart attacks compared to similar patients who did not add the fortified margarine to their diets. (Link to published site)
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2011
GOOOOOOOAAAAALLLLL!!!!!!! Interim Results Promising for Lixisenatide
December 7, 2011
written by Michael O’Leary
More people with type 2 diabetes using insulin and metformin who have trouble keeping their blood glucose below 8 percent are able to reach their goal if they take lixisenatide with insulin and metformin.
That’s the interim result of the GetGoal Duo 1 study announced today in a press release by Sanofi Aventis, which has the marketing rights to the drug made by Zealand Pharma. (Link to published site)
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2011
Type 2 Diabetes and Chronic Kidney Disease? Don’t Let Your HbA1c Get Too Low
December 6, 2011
written by Michael O’Leary
If you have type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease, lowering your HbA1c too much may be as bad as not lowering it enough. That’s the conclusion of another study of people who have diabetes and stage 3 or 4 kidney disease. The study appears in this month’s Archives of Internal Medicine.
There were 23,296 patients in this study, all had been hospitalized in Alberta, Canada with stage 3 or 4 chronic kidney disease and type 1 or 2 diabetes. The researchers led by Dr. Marcello Tonnelli, of the University of Alberta in Edmonton, analyzed their medical records and categorized them by blood glucose control based on the first HbA1c measurement taken during the study period. They then tracked subsequent hospitalizations, heart attacks and other heart-related events as well as progression of the kidney disease. (Link to published site)
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2011
Low-calorie diet boosts heart function in type 2 diabetes patients
December 2nd, 2011 by Ryan Luce No Comments
written by Michael O’Leary
 |
| Dr. Sebastiaan Hammer |
Severely restricting calorie intake eliminated the need for insulin and resulted in improved heart function in obese patients with type 2 diabetes, according to a study presented yesterday at the annual meeting of theRadiological Society of North America being held in Chicago this week.
Before going on a crash diet, however, the researchers, led by Dr. Sebastiaan Hammer of the Department of Radiology at Leiden University Medical Center in the Netherlands, warn that not all type 2 diabetes patients should opt for this type of therapy, and should consult their doctors before starting such a diet.
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2011
Soda Pop – Worse for Women?
November 23rd, 2011 by Ryan Luce No Comments
written by Michael O’Leary
Women who drink two or more sugary soft drinks a day are more likely to have bigger waistlines, and develop heart disease and type 2 diabetes than women who drink less than that, a new multi-ethnic study shows.
The same effects were not seen in men, however, which the researchers suggested as evidence that the relationship between sugary drinks and cardiovascular diseases differs between men and women.
The study presented by Dr. Christina Shay, of the University of Oklahoma, was reported on by MedPage Todayat the AHA’s Scientific Sessions conference in Orlando, Florida Nov. 12-16. She suggested that the reason women may be more affected than men is that women have lower energy requirements and may have higher cardiovascular risk factors when a higher proportion of calories comes from sugared drinks. (Link to published site)
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2011
What is iglucose? (Hint: it doesn’t play mp3′s)
written by Michael O’Leary
If you log your glucose readings you know what an additional pain it is to keep your records for four daily glucose readings up-to-date. Sure you use one of the glucometers that feeds the daily data into software on your computer that will generate reports, but you still you have time to get a computer and upload the data and run the software. Now a new device loads the data automatically, wherever you are, whenever you do a blood test and automatically runs the reports.
The FDA announced this week that it has approved Positive ID Corporation’s iglucose™ mobile health system for diabetes management. iglucose eliminates the burden of keeping manual logbooks and empowers individuals with diabetes to be more engaged in the self-management of their condition, according to a company press release. (Link to published site)
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2011
Latest Good News on Evacetrapib
November 18th, 2011 by Ryan Luce No Comments
written by Michael O’Leary
If you have type 2 diabetes, you probably also battle cardiovascular disease often with statin drugs to lower your cholesterol. The American College of Physicians recommends that all people with diabetes and any other risk factor for cardiovascular disease should be taking cholesterol-lowering statin drugs.
Another promising new drug is undergoing testing that appears to boost good HDL cholesterol while lowering bad LDL cholesterol, and so far, without causing adverse effects on blood pressure that have stymied similar drugs. The latest clinical trial results of evacetrapib were highlighted in this week’s Journal of the American Medical Association.
Co-author Dr. Steven Nissen, of the Cleveland Clinic said these early results clear the way for larger studies. (Link to published site)
(Archive copy)MONDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2011
Surprising News: Losing Weight Helps You Feel Better (ok, ok, not so surprising)
written by Michael O’Leary
For
most adults battling the midlife bulge, losing weight boosts their
sense of well-being, and it is no less so for people with type 2
diabetes.
A large survey of 14,921 patients who took part in the U.S. Study to Help Improve Early evaluation and management of risk factors Leading to Diabetes (SHIELD) asked adults about changes in weight to evaluate the effect of weight on nine aspects of well-being. These included physical health, family interactions, work performance, interactions with co-workers and friends, social activities, daily activities, self-esteem, emotional health and overall quality of life. (Link to published site) (Archive copy)
THURSDAY NOVEMBER 10, 2011
25 Percent of People Have Diabetes or Prediabetes
written by Michael O’Leary
 |
| Dr. Mona Boaz |
More
people may be walking around with pre-type 2 diabetes and don’t know it
than had been thought. Finding them is considered key to stepping up
prevention efforts.
Almost a quarter of the people who underwent free screenings were found
to have prediabetes or full-blown type 2 diabetes researchers in Israel
reported at this week’s World Congress on Insulin Resistance, Diabetes,
and Cardiovascular Disease meeting.
MedPage Today reported
on the conference this week in Los Angeles detailing the findings of a
group of researchers led by Dr. Mona Boaz of the Wolfson Medical Center
in Holon, Israel. (Link to published site)
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2011
Exercise and prediabetes
written by Michael O’Leary
 |
| Dr. Barry Braun |
If your doctor has told you that you are prediabetic, exercise training may be your best bet for preventing type 2 diabetes.
Researchers at the Energy Metabolism Laboratory of the University of
Massachusetts, Amherst found that men and women with prediabetes who
exercised and took a placebo increased their insulin sensitivity by 25
percent to 30 percent more than those who only took metformin and those
who took metformin AND exercised.
While the researchers say the difference between exercise-only group and
the metformin groups was too small to rule out the possibility that it
was simply due to chance, it does show a trend favoring exercise over
other actions you might take to prevent developing diabetes. The study
was published online Oct. 31, 2011 in Diabetes Care. (Link to published site)
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2011
FDA Delays Dapagliflozin Decision Again
November 8th, 2011 by Ryan Luce No Comments
written by Michael O’Leary
The quest for FDA approval of type 2 diabetes drug, dapagliflozin, will drag on at least several more months.
The FDA panel evaluating the drug’s safety was to review additional data
from clinical trials and reach a decision on whether or not it would
recommend approval of the drug for sale on Friday, Oct. 28, 2011. The
panel, however, has now pushed back its decision to at least Jan. 28,
2012. (Link to published site)
MONDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2011
Using Muffins To Detect Diabetes
October 31st, 2011 by Ryan Luce No Comments
written by Michael O’Leary
“Fast all night and eat a muffin in the morning,” might be your doctor’s
orders for testing whether you have type 2 diabetes someday according
to researchers at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York.
That’s what a subset of 73 women taking part in a menopausal hormone
therapy trial, were told after a 10-hour fasting blood draw to assess
their two-hour glucose levels. (Link to published site)
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2011
COPD Detection Adds More Bang to CT Screening for Lung Cancer
While the 2010 US National Lung Screening Trial (NLST) proved that using CT scans to diagnose lung cancer in heavy smokers reduced deaths by 20 percent compared to conventional x-rays, questions about the cost-effectiveness of doing so remain. Whether adding the ability to diagnose COPD in these patients tips the balance in favor of CT screening in this population is unclear. The study appears in the Oct. 26, 2011 Journal of the American Medical Association. (Link to published site)
Does Raising Your HDL Cholesterol Really Help?
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2011
written by Michael O'Leary
 |
| Dr. Gregory Nichols |
Type 2 diabetics know they have a significantly higher risk for coronary
artery disease that can lead to heart attacks and hospitalization.
There has been tremendous progress in heading off these heart attacks
using LDL cholesterol-lowering medications. The evidence is growing,
however, that raising HDL cholesterol may double the benefits in both
lowering LDL cholesterol and reducing hospitalizations due to
cardiovascular disease.
That’s the finding of a large study conducted by Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research in Portland, Ore. as reported by MedPage Today.
The researchers found that for every increase of 5 milligrams of HDL
cholesterol per deciliter (mg/dL) of blood there was a 6 percent
reduction in hospitalization due to cardiovascular disease. (Link to published site)
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2011
Byetta Can Now Officially Be Used With Lantus
written by Michael O'Leary
Adult type 2 diabetes patients who use insulin have a new option for controlling their blood glucose.
Amylin Pharmaceuticals, Inc., and Eli Lilly and Company announced Oct.
19, that the FDA has approved a new use for BYETTA® (exenatide)
injection. The drug can now be used by those using the insulin glargine
(Lantus®) with or without metformin and or thiazolidinedione and still
haven’t achieved control of their blood sugar.
Dr. Christian Weyer, senior vice president, research and development at
Amylin said this marks an important new option for the 60 percent of
type 2 diabetes patients who haven’t been able to reach their target
blood sugar levels. (Link to published site)
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2011
MRI Offers Powerful Research Tool for Assessing Lipid-Lowering Therapy
MRI
scans might give researchers a powerful new tool for monitoring the
effectiveness of lipid therapies for coronary or carotid artery disease,
a new study shows.
Led by Dr. Xue-Qiao Zhao, of the University of
Washington, Seattle, the researchers sought to determine if
cholesterol-lowering drugs deplete plaque lipid content. Zhao told the
Hub by e-mail that they used MRI
as a tool to make direct assessment of the plaque tissue composition
during treatment. The study appears in the October issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology: Cardiovascular Imaging. (Link to published site)
Friday, OCTOBER 21, 2011
Byetta Can Now Officially Be Used With Lantus
written by Michael O'Leary
Adult type 2 diabetes patients who use insulin have a new option for controlling their blood glucose.
Amylin Pharmaceuticals, Inc., and Eli Lilly and Company announced Oct. 19, that the FDA has approved a new use for BYETTA® (exenatide) injection for those using the insulin glargine (Lantus®) with or without metformin and or thiazolidinedione and still haven’t achieved control of their blood sugar.
Dr. Christian Weyer, senior vice president, research and development at Amylin said this marks an important new option for the 60 percent of type 2 diabetes patients who haven’t been able to reach their target blood sugar levels. (Link to published site) (Archive copy)
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2011
“I got this powdered water – now I don’t know what to add” – Steven Wright
written by Michael O’Leary
H2O might lower your risk of a rising A1c depending on how much you drink each day.
A nine-year study of 3,615 middle-aged, French men and women with normal fasting blood glucose levels at the start of the study showed that the risk of developing excessive blood sugar levels decreased the more water people drank. (Link to published site) (Archive copy)
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2011
written by Michael O’Leary
Researchers have restored normal blood sugar control in mice with type 2 diabetes and the finding suggests it may be possible for people some day too. (Link to published site)
(Archive copy)
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2011
Does Actos Reduce Stroke Risk?
Not to be outdone by upstartJuvisync, a new study shows that long-time type 2 diabetes drug, Actos, may also have blood vessel benefits.
The small study of 52 type 2 diabetes patients, published in the October Journal of the American College of Cardiologyfound that patients taking pioglitazone (Actos) had reduced inflammation associated with plaque deposits in the main arteries serving the head and neck. Such deposits are thought to increase the risk of stroke. (Link to published site) (Archive copy)
MONDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2011
MONDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2011
You Got Your Januvia in My Zocor! (Introducing Juvisync)
written by Michael O’Leary
 |
Precursor to Juvisync?
|
If you have type 2 diabetes and take several medications each day, FDA approval of a the first combination drug that both lowers blood sugar and cholesterol is good news.
Juvisync combines the active ingredients of Januvia (sitagliptin) and Zocor (simvastatin).
“This is the first product to combine a type 2 diabetes drug with a cholesterol lowering drug in one tablet,” said Dr. Mary H. Parks, (Link to published site)
More Frequent Doctor Visits Helps Your Blood Sugar
written by Michael O’Leary
 |
| Dr. Alexander Turchin |
A doctor a day keeps the blood glucose at bay. Well not quite, but a new study of medical records shows that people with diabetes who visited their doctors every two weeks got their blood sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol under control much sooner than patients who saw their doctors at three to six month intervals.
The research team led by Dr. Alexander Turchin, of Boston’s Brigham and Women’s Hospital analyzed the electronic medical records of 26,496 people at their institution and at Massachusetts General Hospital. All patients had either type 1 or type 2 diabetes with at least one measure of health above the recommend goals. The targets were hemoglobin A1c under 7 percent, blood pressure under 130/85 mm Hg, and LDL cholesterol under 100 mg/dL. (Link to published site) (Archive copy)
Do Some Diabetes Drugs Actually Help Your Heart?
written by Michael O’Leary
As reported on by MedPage Today at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes meeting last week in Lisbon, Portugal, the researchers found that the class of drugs, called gliptins, were associated with 30 percent reduction in the risk of a major heart-related event, such as a heart attack, compared to diabetes patients who were taking another drug or placebo.
While looking to find harmful effects of type 2 diabetes drugs on the heart and cardiovascular system, researchers were surprised to find that at least one class of these drugs appear to actually help prevent such effects.
As reported on by MedPage Today at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes meeting last week in Lisbon, Portugal, the researchers found that the class of drugs, called gliptins, were associated with 30 percent reduction in the risk of a major heart-related event, such as a heart attack, compared to diabetes patients who were taking another drug or placebo.
In the wake of the development of heart-related side effects of a cancer drug, called Avandia, last year, the FDA required drug companies to assess the cardiovascular risks of some of the new diabetes drugs. (Link to published site) (Archive copy)
Is Victoza Better Than Bydureon?
written by Michael O’Leary
Daily injections of liraglutide (Victoza) nosed out once-a-week injections of exenatide (Bydureon) in a head-to-head comparison in terms of reducing HbA1c, but type 2 diabetes patients using exenatide experienced fewer, milder side effects.
The results of the clinical trial were presented last week at the 47th Annual meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes last week in Lisbon, Portugal and was reported on by MedPage Today. (Link to published site) (Archive copy)
New Takeda drug takes aim at obesity, type-2 diabetes link
written by Michael O’Leary
Another first-in-class drug is wending its way through the clinical trials process aimed at winning FDA approval for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. In early studies the drug, TAK-875, has been shown to lower HbA1c at rates similar to glimepiride (Amaryl).TAK-875 is the first drug to reach clinical development that is aimed at blocking the GPR40 protein as a way to reduce insulin production.
(Link to published site)
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Lexicon’s type 2 diabetes drug has multiple positive effects
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| Dr. Pablo Lapuerta, senior vice president, Lexicon Pharmaceuticals |
written by Michael O’Leary
Could one drug prevent type 2 diabetes in people at risk for the disease, lower blood glucose levels in those already diagnosed, while reducing triglycerides and suppressing appetite?
Lexicon Pharmaceuticals, a Woodland, Texas drug maker says its new drug, LX4211 can do all of that based on early clinical trial results. The drug limits the action of sodium glucose transporters 1 and 2 (SGLT1 and SGLT2), which work to move glucose through certain cell membranes in the intestines. (Link to published site) (Archive copy)
What Are Excess BMI Years?
written by Michael O’Leary
In the study, researchers found that in a group of 40-year-old adults with excess BMI-years (body mass index) of 200 years had three times the risk of developing type 2 diabetes as similar adults with only 100 years of excess BMI.
Excess BMI-years is calculated by the number of points above BMI of 25 multiplied by the number of years the person maintained that BMI. For example a person with a BMI of 35 (10 points higher than healthy weight) for 20 years would be considered to have 200 years of excess BMI. A healthy BMI is considered to be between 18.5 and 24.9. (Link to published site) (Archive copy)
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2011
Do Almonds Help People With Diabetes Manage Their Blood Sugar?
Blue Diamond May be A Diabetic’s Best Friend
Another nut study shows that people with type 2 diabetes might benefit from adding almonds to their daily menu.
The new study showed a dramatic 30 percent decrease in post-meal blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes who ate one ounce of almonds as part of a test meal, while people without diabetes had only a non-significant 7 percent decrease.
The Arizona State University study published in the journal Metabolism this month also showed that people with type 2 diabetes who consumed almonds daily for 12 weeks achieved a 4 percent decrease in HbA1c and a 4 percent reduction in body mass index (BMI). (Link to published site)
Wednesday, SEPTEMBER 7, 2011
Electronic Health Records Shown to Help Better Control Diabetes |
Randall D. Cebul, M.D.
Professor of Medicine
Director, Better Health
Greater Cleveland |
A new study in the New England Journal of Medicine found that 70 percent of diabetes patients whose providers used electronic medical records achieved their A1c targets compared to 48 percent of those whose providers used paper medical charts.
The study led by Dr. Randall Cebul, professor of medicine at Case Western Reserve University, involved 27,206 people in Cuyahoga County, Ohio who made at least two visits to their care providers during a one-year period between July 2009 and June 2010. (Link to published site)
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2011
What’s the Best Drug for Type 2 Diabetes? The Answer Isn’t Simple
September 1st, 2011 by Ryan Luce No Comments
Written by Michael O'Leary
With all the new FDA-approved drugs for type 2 diabetes lately, the question arises, is your current prescription the best for you? With names like Onglyza, Januvia, Byetta, Prandin, Tradjenta, metformin, Amaryl, it can be confusing even to know what to ask your doctor.
In a “best evidence review” published Aug. 30 in MedScape News, Dr. Charles Vega, associate professor in the Department of Family Medicine at the University of California, Irvine, compares the effectiveness and safety of all the medications for type 2 including the newest ones being marketed. At least that’s what he wanted to do. (Link to published site)
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2011
Keep on Truckin… Blood Sugar Control Is Impacted With Even Just Three Days of Inactivity
August 31st, 2011 by Ryan Luce No Comments
Written by Michael O'Leary
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| Dr. John Thyfault |
People with type 2 diabetes know they should exercise, but a new study shows stopping exercise, even for a short time, impairs blood sugar control even among healthy people who do not have type 2 diabetes.
Led by Dr. John Thyfault, an assistant professor at the University of Missouri, nutrition and exercise physiology researchers found that stopping regular physical exercise for as little as three days resulted in changes in gylcemic control linked to development of type 2 diabetes in healthy people. (Link to published site)
THURSDAY, AUGUST 25, 2011
Does Exercise Interfere With Metformin?
August 25th, 2011 by Ryan Luce No Comments
written by Michael O’Leary
Sometimes research surprises, especially when the results seem counter-intuitive. Canadian researchers had just such a surprise when their study looking at the impact that drug therapy and exercise have on people with type 2 diabetes showed that exercise seems to interfere with the glucose-lowering effects of metformin.
Research has shown that metformin reduces blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes, and exercise improves insulin sensitivity, so intuitively, one would think doing both would reduce glucose levels even more. But in their small study of 10 people the researchers were surprised to see the opposite occurred. (Link to published site)
Is There A Connection Between Pesticides and Type 2 Diabetes?
written by Michael O’Leary
People with high levels of certain pesticides in their blood may have an increased risk of type 2 diabetes, a new Finnish study shows.
A note of caution before being alarmed, however, the study involved 8,760 Finnish citizens born in or around Helsinki between 1934 and 1944, and are now 67 to 77 years old. These people grew up before the pesticides called persistent organic pollutants were banned in the U.S. and other countries starting in the 1970s, as reported by Reuters Health.
The new study led by Riikka Airaksinen, of the department of Environmental Health, Chemical Exposure Unit, National Institute for Health and Welfare in Finland appears in the August issue of Diabetes Care and is not the first to link these chemicals, called organochlorines, to type 2 diabetes. (Link to published site)
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 17, 2011
One Big Step for Mannkind’s Afrezza Inhaler
August 17th, 2011 by Ryan Luce 1 Comment
written by Michael O’Leary
The FDA has approved clinical trial designs for an inhaled diabetes drug for patients with type 1 diabetes, and people with type 2 diabetes who have been unable to achieve adequate control with metformin.
The drug, trademarked as Afrezza® by MannKind Corporation is an ultra-fast-acting mealtime insulin therapy that uses a pre-metered dose inhaler to deliver insulin in powder form. The drug dissolves immediately upon inhalation and delivers insulin quickly to the blood stream, according to company documents. Peak insulin levels are achieved in 12 to 14 minutes, mirroring the early release of mealtime insulin observed in health individuals. (Link to published site)
Do Hot Dogs Cause Diabetes?
August 16th, 2011 by Ryan Luce 1 Comment
by Michael O’Leary
If you’re heading to the state fair this summer, you ought to skip the brats, dogs and sausages, and head to the dairy barn according to the largest study to date to look at processed and unprocessed red meats and diabetes risk.
A new Harvard study has found that red meat intake increases the risk of type 2 diabetes by 19 percent, and processed red meat has been linked to a whopping 51 percent increase in risk. (Link to published site)
Benefits of Weight Loss For Overweight People With Type 2 – Including Increased Sex
August 10, 2011
written by Michael O’Leary
No one is saying dieting will double your pleasure and double your fun. But a new study shows that regardless of which type of two diets used, obese men with type 2 diabetes who lost weight gained both an increase in sexual desire and sexual function.In addition the small study showed multiple benefits to blood glucose and cardiovascular health as a result of a weight loss of about 10 percent in men who started the study with a Body Mass Index (BMI) over 30 and a waist over 40 inches (102 cm). The study was published online Aug. 5, 2011 in the Journal of Sexual Medicine. (Link to published site)
(Archived copy)
FDA PANEL TURNS DOWN DAPAGLIFLOZIN
August 2nd, 2011 by Ryan Luce
written by Michael O’Leary
A FDA panel dealt a setback to Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. and AstraZeneca PLC last week voting 9-6 not to recommend approval dapagliflozin for treatment of type 2 diabetes. The blow came as a bit of a surprise to experts who had expected the panel to approve the drug with some post marketing requirements due to some adverse complications. (Link to published site)
(Archive copy)
written by Michael O’Leary
Saying nuts to carbs is better for type 2 diabetes patients than whole grain muffins to help control blood sugar levels and lower bad cholesterol to boot.
University of Toronto researchers and doctors at St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto showed that type 2 diabetes patients who ate two ounces of mixed nuts daily for three weeks had greater improvement in glycemic control and lower cholesterol levels than patients who ate just the muffin, or ate the muffin and the nuts for snacks.
(More)
written by Michael O’Leary
An intensive diet soon after diagnosis can help patients control their type 2 diabetes, but adding exercise to the diet doesn’t provide any additional control, a new study shows – but don’t put down your running shoes just yet.
written by Michael O’Leary
Dapagliflozin, the first in a new class of drugs for type 2 diabetes, has hit a bump in the road to FDA approval according to a report by Reuters. The FDA should decide next week whether or not the drug will be approved.
A FDA panel considering Bristol-Myers Squibb and AztraZeneca’s request for approval has raised questions about the drug’s potential for liver damage and cancer. They also had concerns about the drug’s effectiveness in people with kidney problems.
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Good news for people who have had good results controlling the HbA1c with BYETTA®. The Associated Press, Reuters report that new study results of the once-a-week formulation of the drug show that the drug does not affect heart rate.
Last October, the FDA declined approval of the once-a-week BYDUREON™ for type 2 diabetes and requested that the drug’s maker, Amylin Pharmaceuticals, provide more information about the drug’s effect on patients’ heart rates. (More)
by Michael O’Leary
Early, intensive treatment of type-2 diabetes that targets multiple health factors such as high blood pressure and cholesterol reduced the number of people who had heart attacks and died but the difference was not large enough to be convincing, researchers say.
The ADDITION study is a collaboration of doctors in the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Denmark. It started with screening for type-2 diabetes followed by a treatment phase comparing the results of usual treatment for the disease to that of rigorously treating patients in order to achieve strict targets for blood sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol levels. (More)
written by Michael O’Leary
Making the effort to prevent type 2 diabetes if you are at high risk for it not only improves your quality of life, it can save you up to $1,700 in medical care over 10 years.
That’s the conclusion of a study presented at the American Diabetes Association’s 71st Scientific Sessions® held in San Diego this week and reported on the ADA’s website.
Dr. William Herman, professor of medicine and epidemiology at the University of Michigan presented the cost-effectiveness findings based on data from the Diabetes Prevention Program. (More)
written by Michael O’Leary
The good news is intensive treatment with high doses of cholesterol-lowering statin drugs do reduce your chances of chest pain, heart attack or other cardiovascular problems. The bad news is the higher the statin dose the greater your chance of developing diabetes.
That’s the finding of a pooled-data study involving 32,752 nondiabetic people who participated in five clinical trials and were followed for five years. The analysis of previously conducted studies by David Preiss of the University of Glasgow, United Kingdom was published this week in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
During the five years of follow-up 2,749 participants in these trials (8.4 percent) developed diabetes. Of these, 1,449 were taking intensive doses of statins, and 1,300 were taking moderate statin doses. (More)
written by Michael O’Leary
Looking for reliable online help with managing your diabetes?
The National Diabetes Education Program (NDEP) now has a series of three- to five- minute videos of real people with diabetes talking about the things you can do to improve your health, manage your diabetes, and find the support you need to live with diabetes. The videos are the latest additions to the NDEP website including a redesign of NDEP’s online library of resources, Diabetes HealthSense. The extensive library of publications, resources, research tools and programs is now searchable.
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written by Michael O’Leary
If you have type 2 diabetes, you are probably aware that you are at greater risk for a stroke. A new analysis of data from a previous study shows that if you’ve already had a stroke, or mini-stroke, you have a 62 percent higher risk of a second one compared to similar patients who do not have diabetes.
The study led by Dr. Alfred Callahan, of Vanderbilt University and published in the June issue of Archives of Neurology, used data from the Stroke Prevention by Aggressive Reduction of Cholesterol Levels (SPARCL) trial. (More)
Jimmy Jet, the TV Set, and Diabetes Risk
written by Michael O’Leary
The more TV you watch the greater your chance of type 2 diabetes. That’s what a new study in Journal of the American Medical Association says.
The study is what is called a meta-analysis. The two researchers, Dr. Frank Hu and doctoral student Anders GrØtved at the Harvard School of Public Health, pooled data from all published studies from 1970 to 2011 that included information about TV viewing and diabetes, cardiovascular disease and premature death. (More)
written by Michael O’Leary
If you’ve ever tried the Mayo Diet, chances are it was probably bogus. That’s because diets purporting to be the Mayo Diet have been introduced since the 1940s. Various versions have included the grapefruit diet and the cabbage diet. Many have been wildly popular.
The problem with all those diets however, is that the famed Mayo Clinic had nothing to do with developing them. It wasn’t until last year, in fact, that the Mayo Clinic decided to develop a weight-loss plan, which debuted in January 2010, called the Mayo Clinic Diet.
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In a head-to-head comparison of dieting plans, the DASH diet won both for best overall diet and nosed out the Mayo Clinic Diet for best diabetes diet.
US News and World Report assembled a panel of 22 nationally recognized nutrition experts and asked them to rank 20 popular diets from Atkins to the Zone diet based on data from medical journals, government reports, and other sources. Over a six-month period, the experts rated each diet on a scale from 1 to 5 in seven categories: safety, short-term weight loss, long-term weight loss, how easy it is to follow, its nutritional completeness, its safety, its ability to prevent or manage diabetes, and its ability to prevent or manage heart disease.
The report ranked the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet, developed by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) as best overall and best for diabetes. Mayo Diet was a close second in the diabetes diet category. (More)
written by Michael O’Leary
Promising results may offer patients with type 2 diabetes a new treatment option if ongoing clinical trials continue to show similarly positive outcomes. The news was recently reported by Sanofi – who is trying to get Lyxumia (scientific name: lixisenatide) approved.
But patients with diabetes should be cautious about company-released reports. Such press releases are often aimed more at selling stock than providing patients and doctors with useful information to judge the effectiveness of the drug. This is the second release about Lyxumia™ within a month by Sanofi. (More)
written by Michael O’Leary
If you have diabetes and are taking Pravachol for cholesterol and Paxil for depression, you may experience unexpected spikes in your blood glucose levels, a new study suggests.
In a surprise finding, researchers at Stanford University and Vanderbilt University discovered through a database analysis that while neither Pravochol (scientific name: pravastin) nor Paxil (scientific name: paroxetine)had much effect on blood sugar by themselves, together they can significantly increase blood sugar levels. Alarmingly, the combination affects people with diabetes even more. (More)
written by Michael O’Leary
The bad news is that gaining weight between the first and second pregnancy seems to increase the risk of gestational diabetes. The good news is losing weight between pregnancies, particularly for women who are overweight or obese to begin with, cuts the risk in half.
Researchers at Kaiser Permanente’s Division of Research reported these findings in a study appearing today online in the journal Obstetrics and Gynecology. (More)
Losing weight to lower the risk of type 2 diabetes is hard work, but a new study shows that by reducing your fat intake, even if you don’t lose weight, you can lower your risk in as little as two months.
In the small University of Alabama at Birmingham study, 69 healthy, overweight people who were considered at risk for diabetes were placed on diets with modest reductions in either fat or carbohydrates for eight weeks.
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