A new study looked at a medicine called icodec for people with type 2 diabetes. This study was talked about in a big meeting of diabetes experts in San Diego.
The study was led by Dr. Ildiko Lingvay from a university in Dallas. It happened in 11 countries at 92 places.
They wanted to see how good icodec was compared to another medicine called degludec. Both are types of insulin.
People in the study were split into two groups. One group took icodec once a week and the other took degludec every day.
What Did They Find Out?
After 26 weeks, both medicines lowered the sugar levels in the blood. The number doctors look at is called HbA1c. The group taking icodec saw their HbA1c go from 8.6% to 7.0%.
The group taking degludec saw theirs go from 8.5% to 7.2%. This means that icodec worked a tiny bit better.
But, there were no big differences between the two groups when looking at sugar levels in the morning, how much medicine they took, or weight changes.
One thing to watch out for with icodec is low blood sugar, called hypoglycemia. The icodec group had more people with this problem, especially during the first 26 weeks.
What Does This Mean for Patients?
The study tells us that taking icodec once a week can be as good as taking degludec every day.
This is great because taking medicine less often can be easier for people. But, the chance of getting low blood sugar might be a bit higher with icodec.
The writers of the study said that when doctors think about giving icodec, they should think about the small extra benefit and the easier once-a-week schedule.
But, they should also remember the small risk of low blood sugar.
A Note on the Study
The study was paid for by the company that makes icodec, called Novo Nordisk. Some people in the study work for medicine companies, including this one.
If you care about diabetes, please read studies about a cure for type 2 diabetes, and why insulin is more expensive for people with diabetes.
For more information about health, please see recent studies that blueberries strongly benefit people with metabolic syndrome, and results showing eggs in a plant-based diet may benefit people with type 2 diabetes.
The study was published in JAMA.
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