Posted on 12/04/2006 11:51:24 AM PST by varina davis
Diabetes Drug's Benefits Come at a Price By The Associated Press From Associated Press December 04, 2006 1:10 PM EST A newer drug appeared to delay the progression of the most common form of diabetes a little longer than two older medications but also raised the risk of heart problems, weight gain and fractures, a large study has found.
The results, along with the higher cost of the new drug, suggest that metformin, sold as Glucophage and other brands, should remain the first choice for newly diagnosed patients with Type 2 diabetes, several specialists said.
Avandia, by GlaxoSmithKline PLC, did a better job of controlling blood-sugar problems than the two older drugs, according to the study of 4,360 newly diagnosed patients. After five years, only 15 percent of those taking Avandia, or rosiglitazone, had to add a second drug to treat their disease compared with 21 percent of those taking metformin and 34 percent taking glyburide, sold as Micronase, Diabeta and other names, the study found.
However, 62 on Avandia developed a heart problem compared with 58 on metformin and 41 on glyburide. Avandia users also gained an average of more than 10 pounds over five years; metformin users lost more than six pounds while glyburide users gained three and then stabilized. Fractures, especially in women, were nearly twice as common among those taking Avandia.
"It comes at a price," Dr. Om Ganda, an endocrinologist at the Joslin Diabetes Center in Boston, said of Avandia's potential for slowing diabetes progression. Ganda had no role in the study.
Type 2 is the most common form of diabetes, afflicting more than 200 million people worldwide. It occurs when the body cannot make enough insulin or effectively use what it does make. Obesity increases the risk.
Avandia is part of a new group of insulin-sensitizing drugs. It came out in 2000. Metformin has been sold for about a decade and glyburide for longer than that. The latter two are available as generics.
The study was led by Dr. Steven Kahn at the VA Puget Sound Health Care System and included employees of Glaxo, which paid for the research. Results will appear in this week's New England Journal of Medicine and were published online Monday to coincide with presentation at a diabetes meeting in South Africa.
Because of the side effects with Avandia, "metformin remains the logical choice" for initial treatment, Dr. David Nathan, an endocrinologist at Massachusetts General Hospital, wrote in an editorial in the journal.
I had a doc recommend Avandia vs. metformin. Glad I ignored his advice.
I take Avandia and metformin but have had better results from Avandamet, a combination of both in one pill. There have been some quality control problems though and it's been on and off the market. It's back on now and I have some on order, hope my mail-order pharmacy is carrying it again.
Lizard Spit should be all diabetics drug of choice:
http://www.centerwatch.com/patient/drugs/dru879.html
Byetta (exenatide), derived from a compound found in the saliva of the Gila monster, a large lizard native to the southwestern US, is a functional analog of Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 (GLP-1), a naturally occuring peptide which enhances insulin secretion in response to elevated plasma glucose levels. By mimicking the function of GLP-1, the drug helps more strongly activate this pathway to improve glycemic control.
Tried it once, but having to wake up in the morning and kiss that lizard was hard to do. ;O)
I've been on Metformin for about 2 years now, and have had no ill effects. I also consult 4 times a year with my endocrinologist, and am taking all the other necessary precautions (diet, exercise, weight loss), so I guess that makes me a trial lawyer's pariah...
thought you'd like to read this.
lizard spit eh? Well I can do better than that. My anemia med is from the ovary of the chinese hamster. Can you top this?
No. I can never top anything you do. No one can or ever will. :x
I dunno because I am very toppable.
You tempt me, you really do. :D
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