Type 2 diabetes is a common health problem where the body either doesn’t use insulin properly or doesn’t make enough of it. This causes blood sugar levels to rise, which can lead to serious health issues over time.
Many people with Type 2 diabetes start their treatment with a medicine called metformin. While metformin works well at first, it often becomes less effective after a while, and many people need extra help to keep their blood sugar under control.
Researchers at Thomas Jefferson University have found a new way to help. Their study showed that using two diabetes medications together—dapagliflozin and exenatide—can provide better results for people whose diabetes is not well controlled with metformin alone.
The study included 695 adults who were already taking metformin but still had high blood sugar levels. These participants were divided into three groups. One group received weekly injections of exenatide along with metformin. Another group took daily dapagliflozin pills with metformin. The third group received both dapagliflozin and exenatide on top of their metformin treatment.
After following these patients for two years, the researchers found that the group using both medications had much better control over their blood sugar compared to the groups using only one additional medicine. This improved control lasted through the entire two years.
Dapagliflozin helps the body by making the kidneys remove extra sugar through urine, lowering blood sugar levels naturally. Exenatide helps in several ways: it boosts insulin production after meals, reduces how much sugar the liver makes, slows down digestion, and helps people feel full faster so they eat less.
Together, these two medicines not only lowered blood sugar more effectively but also helped participants lose weight and improve their blood pressure. This is important because people with Type 2 diabetes often struggle with weight gain and high blood pressure, both of which can make diabetes harder to manage.
Another important finding from the study is that the combination of dapagliflozin and exenatide was safe. There were no unexpected health problems linked to using the two drugs together, giving doctors and patients more confidence in this treatment option.
The research, led by Dr. Serge Jabbour and published in the journal Diabetes Care, shows that this two-drug approach could be a powerful tool for managing more difficult cases of Type 2 diabetes. It offers a way for people who no longer respond well to metformin alone to better control their blood sugar, lose weight, and lower their blood pressure over the long term.
While more research may still be needed, this study provides strong evidence that combining dapagliflozin and exenatide can help people with Type 2 diabetes live healthier, more stable lives. For those struggling to keep their diabetes under control, this could be an important new option to discuss with their doctors.
If you care about diabetes, please read studies about the cooking connection between potatoes and diabetes, and low calorie diets may help reverse type 2 diabetes.
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