People with type 2 diabetes often face serious health risks, including heart attacks, strokes, heart failure, and severe kidney disease. These complications can dramatically affect their quality of life and even shorten their lifespan. Managing blood sugar is crucial for people with diabetes, but protecting their heart and kidneys is equally important.
Researchers at Monash University, along with other institutions, have been studying a medication called sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitors, or SGLT2is for short. This medicine is already known to help lower blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes.
However, scientists wanted to know if it could do more than just control blood sugar. They explored whether SGLT2is could also protect the heart and kidneys of people with diabetes, and if it would be a cost-effective treatment for the healthcare system.
The recent study, led by Jedidiah Morton and his colleagues, focused on how well SGLT2is could reduce the risks of heart and kidney disease. The team also looked at the economic impact, which means they checked if using this medicine would be worth the cost.
This is important because treatments that are too expensive are often not available to everyone who needs them. Surprisingly, the study found that SGLT2is are not only effective in reducing heart and kidney problems but also cost-effective. This means they provide good value for their price.
What makes this finding even more impressive is that the benefits were seen in all people with type 2 diabetes, regardless of how well their blood sugar was controlled. This suggests that SGLT2is could be given to many more people with type 2 diabetes to help prevent heart and kidney disease, not just those with high blood sugar levels.
Because of these promising results, the researchers believe that the government should reconsider how SGLT2is are prescribed, making them more widely available.
In Australia, nearly 1.9 million people live with diabetes, and many of them—about 500,000—do not even know they have it yet. Heart and kidney disease are very common among people with diabetes. When blood sugar levels stay too high for too long, they can damage blood vessels and organs, including the kidneys.
The kidneys play a critical role in filtering waste from the blood and balancing fluids in the body. Over time, high blood sugar can harm the small blood vessels in the kidneys, leading to a condition called diabetic nephropathy. This condition progresses slowly and can eventually lead to kidney failure, where the kidneys can no longer function properly.
To prevent kidney disease, it is important for people with type 2 diabetes to manage their blood sugar levels, keep their blood pressure in check, and maintain healthy cholesterol levels.
These goals are typically achieved through lifestyle changes like healthy eating and exercise, along with medications. SGLT2is now appear to be a powerful tool in this fight, offering protection not only for blood sugar control but also for heart and kidney health.
Because of these findings, clinical guidelines were updated in 2019 to recommend SGLT2is for preventing heart and kidney disease in people with diabetes. This study further supports that decision, suggesting that SGLT2is should be made even more available, possibly through the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, which helps make medicines affordable in Australia.
The researchers think that if more people with type 2 diabetes could access SGLT2is, it would greatly reduce their risk of serious health problems, helping them live healthier and longer lives.
The study’s results are especially important for those who struggle to control their blood sugar levels. Even when blood sugar is managed well, there is still a risk of heart and kidney disease. SGLT2is add an extra layer of protection, which could make a big difference in long-term health outcomes.
This research brings hope to millions of people with type 2 diabetes, showing that a single medication can tackle multiple health risks effectively and affordably.
This study was published in the journal Diabetologia, providing strong evidence that SGLT2is should be a key part of diabetes management, not just for blood sugar control but also for protecting vital organs. This discovery could change the way doctors treat diabetes, making it possible for more people to avoid serious health complications.
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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