A major study by The GRADE Study Research Group has provided important insights into how well different diabetes medications work when taken alongside metformin, the most commonly prescribed drug for type 2 diabetes.
Comparing Four Diabetes Medications
The study included 5,047 people with type 2 diabetes from various backgrounds. All participants were already taking metformin and were randomly assigned an additional medication:
- Sitagliptin
- Liraglutide
- Glimepiride
- Insulin glargine U-100
The goal was to see which combination kept blood sugar levels within a healthy range for the longest time. The participants were followed for four years to track how well each drug worked.
The Most Effective Medications
The results showed that liraglutide and insulin glargine were the most effective in helping people reach and maintain their target blood sugar levels. In contrast, sitagliptin and glimepiride were not as effective over time.
These findings were consistent across all age groups, genders, and ethnic backgrounds, suggesting that these two medications work well for a broad range of patients.
The Challenge of Long-Term Diabetes Control
Despite these benefits, most participants struggled to maintain target blood sugar levels for four years. In fact, about three out of four people were unable to keep their levels under control for the entire study period. This highlights how difficult long-term diabetes management can be, even with effective medications.
Additional Heart Health Benefits
One unexpected discovery was that people taking liraglutide had fewer heart-related complications than those in the other groups. This suggests that liraglutide might offer extra heart protection, making it a strong choice for patients at risk of heart disease.
What This Means for Diabetes Treatment
This study provides valuable guidance for doctors and patients when choosing diabetes medications. It confirms that liraglutide and insulin glargine are among the best options for keeping blood sugar levels stable.
However, since maintaining blood sugar control over many years remains difficult, more research is needed to develop better long-term treatment strategies.
The study, led by Dr. Henry Burch, was published in The New England Journal of Medicine. These findings will help healthcare providers make more informed decisions to improve diabetes care.
If you care about diabetes, please read studies about bananas and diabetes, and honey could help control blood sugar.
For more health information, please see recent studies about Vitamin D that may reduce dangerous complications in diabetes and results showing plant-based protein foods may help reverse type 2 diabetes.
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