A recent study has indicated that an experimental insulin drug has shown to be more effective in preventing low blood sugar among diabetics as compared to a popular drug now available in the market. The results of the study were presented at The Endocrine Society’s 94th Annual Meeting in Houston.
Diabetes is a lifestyle disease that has affected about 26 million people in the US. It is a condition that can cause blood sugar or glucose to rise up to dangerous levels. One of the current treatments available is the use of insulin injections to control blood sugar levels. But despite it being effective, this type of treatment can also lead to abnormally low blood sugar levels or hypoglycemia, which carries symptoms such as headaches, tremors and even seizures. Faced with these concerns, developing medications for diabetes without causing extreme drops in blood sugar levels is very critical.
A study was conducted to determine and compare the effects of an established drug in the market called glardine (Lantus) as compared to an experimental drug called degludec. Analysis on more than 3,000 participants who randomly took either of the two studied drugs was made. The participants took either of the tablets once a day for 26 or 52 weeks.
It was found that degludec caused fewer incidents of low blood sugar levels among the diabetic participants. In the overall count, there were 14 percent less participants that experienced low blood sugar levels while taking degludec compared to the group that took glargine. During nighttime, there were 37 percent less people who experienced low blood sugar levels while taking degludec compared to the glargine recipients.
After 16 weeks into the study, degludec recipients even showed fewer incidents of low blood sugar levels. And during the maintenance period, this condition happened 21 percent less frequently and 43 percent less often during the evenings. The patients did not report any major complications while taking the experimental drug.
According to Daniel Einhorn, MD, medical director at Scripps Whittier Diabetes Institute and lead author of the said study, “This study suggests that blood glucose can be effectively lowered by degludec, with a lower risk for hypoglycemia compared to currently available insulins. It is therefore possible that treatment with degludec can improve patient outcomes by limiting the side effects associated with insulin use.”
Source: Medical News Today
Tags: Diabetes News, diabetes study, experimental drug, insulin therapy, insulin treatment, low blood sugar, low blood sugar levels, low blood sugar symptoms