A new study from Thomas Jefferson University has found that a combination of two diabetes medications, dapagliflozin and exenatide, continues to help control blood sugar in people with Type 2 diabetes for at least two years. This is important news because many diabetes treatments lose their effectiveness over time, and patients often need to change medications.
Type 2 diabetes is a long-term condition where the body struggles to manage sugar levels in the blood. Normally, doctors start treatment with a medicine called metformin.
Metformin helps the body respond better to insulin, the hormone that keeps blood sugar in check. However, over time, metformin may not work as well on its own, and many patients need extra help from other medications.
To test the effects of using more than one medicine, researchers studied 695 adults whose diabetes was not well controlled by metformin alone. These patients were split into three groups.
One group received an injection of exenatide once a week along with metformin. Another group took a daily pill of dapagliflozin in addition to metformin. The third group took both exenatide and dapagliflozin, plus metformin.
The researchers followed the participants for more than two years. This was part of a follow-up to an earlier study called DURATION-8. The aim was to see whether combining two medications would not only improve diabetes control but also continue to work over time.
Each of the two added medicines helps the body manage sugar differently. Dapagliflozin helps the body get rid of extra sugar through the urine. It works through the kidneys and lowers blood sugar levels in this way. Exenatide, on the other hand, helps the body make more insulin when blood sugar is high.
It also slows down how fast food leaves the stomach, which helps people feel full longer and can lead to eating less. Together, these two medicines improve sugar control, reduce body weight, and lower blood pressure more effectively than either drug alone.
The results of the study showed that the group taking both exenatide and dapagliflozin had the best results. Their blood sugar stayed lower and more stable for the full two years.
This is the first time researchers have confirmed that this combo continues to work well for such a long period. The group also showed more weight loss and better blood pressure levels, both of which are important for managing Type 2 diabetes and overall health.
Another important finding was that there were no new safety issues in people taking the two drugs together. Other research has also suggested that this combination may help improve cholesterol levels and other signs of good health.
Since diabetes is a life-long condition, long-term treatment is critical. Many medicines work for a short time but lose their impact as the body adjusts or as the disease progresses. That’s why this new research is so promising—it shows that this drug combo can remain effective for years, offering patients more stable and reliable treatment.
The study was published in the journal Diabetes Care and led by Dr. Serge Jabbour and his team. They hope that these results will encourage more doctors to consider this type of combination therapy for patients whose blood sugar is not under control with metformin alone.
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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