In a new study from Vanderbilt University, researchers found type 2 diabetes patients who also have asthma are benefitting from a diabetes medication.
These types of medication—GLP-1 receptor agonists—are a newer class of FDA-approved therapeutics that are generally used in addition to metformin for control of blood sugar or to induce weight loss in patients with obesity.
The drugs are typically given to help the pancreas produce more insulin. The researchers found the drugs also improve asthma symptoms and may reduce lung and airway inflammation.
In the study, the team used electronic health record data of patients with asthma and type 2 diabetes who initiated treatment with GLP-1R agonists.
They found in a six-month period, type 2 diabetes patients who received this form of medication to improve blood sugar control also had better control of their asthma disease and symptoms compared to those who took alternative therapies.
The team says for patients who have type 2 diabetes and asthma it means that some of their medications for type 2 diabetes may actually help their asthma control.
For patients who have asthma but may not have type 2 diabetes, it means that there could be a new class of medications that could be used for treatment.
In previous studies, GLP-1R agonists were shown to reduce allergic airway inflammation and viral-induced airway inflammation.
They also found that this class of medications reduces inflammation in the lung as well as how the lung responds to certain challenges like allergies and viruses.
Other early preclinical data also suggest it is possible this therapy could have benefits in the airway for other airway diseases.
One member of the class of medications that induces early satiety, leading to weight loss, is already approved for the treatment of obesity.
Future studies will investigate if the drug could improve outcomes for patients with both asthma and obesity.
If you care about diabetes and your health, please read studies about this drug may improve survival in people with diabetes and COVID-19 and findings of this stuff in body can help keep you from diabetes, even if you’re obese.
For more information about diabetes prevention and treatment, please see recent studies about your age may determine whether diabetes drug metformin is useful to you and results showing that this health problem can lead to the leading cause of death in type 2 diabetes.
The study is published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. One author of the study is Katherine Cahill, MD.
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