For those with Type 2 diabetes, keeping their blood sugar stable is a big deal. Most start treatment with a drug called metformin.
But over time, metformin may stop working for some patients. They then need extra help to control their blood sugar.
The Power of Two
A study from Thomas Jefferson University tried to figure out a solution. Earlier studies had shown that two drugs together could control diabetes better than just one. So, they wanted to test this idea.
In their study, they included 695 adults who had Type 2 diabetes. These adults were already taking metformin, but it wasn’t enough to control their diabetes.
The researchers divided these adults into three groups. The first group got weekly shots of a drug called exenatide, along with their usual metformin.
The second group took daily pills of a drug called dapagliflozin, again with metformin. The third group took both exenatide and dapagliflozin with metformin.
Understanding the Drugs
These two drugs, dapagliflozin and exenatide, work in different ways to help control blood sugar. Dapagliflozin gets rid of extra sugar in the body through urine.
Exenatide helps the body make more insulin, slows down how fast the stomach empties, and makes people feel full faster.
When used together, they helped to control blood sugar even better. They also helped people lose weight and improved blood pressure.
The Long Haul
This study didn’t just end there. The researchers let the patients continue the trial for longer. They wanted to see if the drugs would still work after two years. And guess what? They did!
Patients who took both drugs continued to have good blood sugar control. This was better than those who were taking just one drug. And, for the first time, the researchers showed that this effect lasted for the full two years.
The patients also lost weight and had better blood pressure. These improvements can make a big difference in overall health.
Good News for Diabetes Management
The researchers didn’t find any new safety concerns with the drug combination. Other studies also suggested that both drugs might improve metabolic markers like lipid profile.
The researchers highlight the importance of testing for long-term effects because many diabetes treatments don’t work for a long time.
But this combo of dapagliflozin and exenatide worked for over two years, which is very promising.
This research, led by Serge Jabbour, was published in the journal Diabetes Care. This could be good news for people with Type 2 diabetes who need help controlling their blood sugar over the long term.
If you care about diabetes, please read studies about Vitamin D and type 2 diabetes, and what you need to know about avocado and type 2 diabetes.
For more information about diabetes, please see recent studies about how to eat to prevent type 2 diabetes and 5 vitamins that may prevent complications in diabetes.
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