The first of a new class of oral antidiabetic drugs is able to lower blood sugar (glucose) in type 2 diabetes as well as Avandia (rosiglitazone) does, but without causing weight gain, according to a report in the journal Diabetes Care.
The new agent, vildagliptin, also known by the brand name Galvus, is awaiting regulatory approval in the U.S. and Europe. The new drug class, dipeptidyl peptidase-IV (DPP-IV) inhibitors, improves cell responsiveness to glucose, the authors explain.
Dr. Julio Rosenstock from the Dallas Diabetes and Endocrine Center, and colleagues compared the effectiveness and tolerability of vildagliptin versus rosiglitazone (the generic name for Avandia) in nearly 800 patients with previously untreated type 2 diabetes.
At the beginning of the study, the patients’ average hemoglobin A1c level (HbA1c), a measure of long-term glucose control, was 8.7 percent. (Normal HbA1c levels are less than 7 percent). It decreased by 1.1 percent with vildagliptin treatment, with most of the decrease occurring within the first 12 weeks, the investigators report. Patients treated with rosiglitazone had a 1.3 percent decrease in HbA1c, with maximum reduction occurring at week 16.
Patients who were not obese (body mass index below 30) fared better than heavier patients with vildagliptin, the team found.
Vildagliptin treatment was associated with stable body weight during treatment and a significant decrease in the “bad” cholesterol, including triglycerides, LDL, and non-HDL cholesterol, compared with rosiglitazone treatment, the researchers note. Patients taking rosiglitazone experienced a significant average increase in weight of about 3.5 pounds.
Vidlagliptin and rosiglitazone are both effective in reducing blood glucose levels in type 2 diabetes patients who have not received prior anti-diabetic drug treatment, the investigators conclude. Along with being well-tolerated, vildagliptin does not cause weight gain, which is an important consideration in selecting the first drug to treat type 2 diabetes patients.
SOURCE: Diabetes Care, February 2007.
When should an annoying health complication become a serious concern? When you suspect you could be at risk developing diabetes. Although the causes of diabetes are unknown, knowing your risk factors could save your life.
At 17-years-old, Paul Cootes, Jr. is a diabetic. “You don’t take life for granted anymore,” said Cootes.
Four years ago, Cootes’s life started to change. “For awhile, I’d come home, fall on the couch, and just fall asleep. My dad had to wake me up,” explained Cootes.
Cootes said a habit revealed an underlying disease, “I bite my finger nails all the time. I had an infection and it wouldn’t heal up.”
Cootes parents knew something was wrong. A series of tests revealed type two diabetes. “The warning signs are more subtle in type two diabetes,” said Janet Stewart, a registered nurse at the Southeast Diabetic Center.
Cootes said you should be tested, “If you’re tired and you’re fatigued for a good reason, but that last more than 2 or 3 days, and you’ve had a good rest.”
Other symptoms of type 2 diabetes may include:
Slow-healing sores or cuts
Itching of the skin (usually around the vaginal or groin area)
Frequent yeast infections
Recent weight gain
Velvety dark skin changes of the neck, armpit and groin, called acanthosis Nigerians
Numbness and tingling of the hands and feet
Decreased vision
Impotency
The symptoms of type 1 diabetes may include:
Increased thirst
Increased hunger (especially after eating)
Dry mouth
Frequent urination
Unexplained weight loss (even though you are eating and feel hungry)
Fatigue (weak, tired feeling)
Blurred vision
Headaches
Loss of consciousness (rare)
1 whole graham cracker, crushed
1 package of sugar-free lemon gelatin
2/3 cup boiling water
1 cup low-fat cottage cheese
8 ounces fat-free cream cheese
2 cups low fat whipped topping
1 cup low-sugar cherry pie filling
Spray an 8-inch spring form pan or a 9-inch pie plate lightly with non-stick cooking spray. Sprinkle bottom with graham cracker crumbs. Dissolve gelatin in boiling water; pour into blender. Add cottage cheese and fat-free cream cheese, cover. Blend at medium speed, scraping down sides, until smooth. Pour into a large bowl and gently stir in whipped topping. Pour into pan. Chill until set, about 4 hours. When ready to serve, top cheesecake with cherry pie filling. Makes 8 servings.
Nutritional Information (1 serving):
Calories: 94
Carbohydrates: 12 grams
Protein: 8 grams
Fat: 2 grams
Saturated fat: 1 gram
Cholesterol: 26 mg
Fiber: trace
Sodium: 300 mg
Potassium: 92 grams
Calcium: 43 mg
Exchanges: 1 starch and 1/2 very-lean meat
(from the South Dakota Diabetes Control Program cookbook)