Acomplia Cuts Diabetes Patients' Risks
June 12, 2006 -- Acomplia, an experimental weight lossdrug, helps obese people with type 2 diabeteslose weight, reduce waist size, and even control blood sugar and blood fats.
Surprisingly, Acomplia's beneficial effect on blood sugars and fats went 57% beyond the benefit that would have been expected from weight loss alone. The drug, which affects the body's cannabinoid system, appears to reduce interrelated risks for heart and metabolic diseases.
The benefits seen were in addition to the benefits of standard, ongoing treatment with Glucophage or the family of diabetes drugs called sulfonylureas. Researcher André Scheen, MD, PhD, head of diabetes at the University of Liège in Belgium, reported the findings at this week's annual meeting of the American Diabetes Association, held June 9-13 in Washington.
"These findings support the use of [Acomplia] for reducing cardiometabolic risk in patients with type 2 diabetes, and show that the benefits achieved are additional to those of background oral antidiabetic therapy," Scheen and colleagues wrote in their presentation abstract.
The findings come from an international clinical trial of more than 1,000 men and women with diabetes. The average study patient was 56 years old and obese, with a 43.3-inch waistline. At study entry, patients' average hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) level was 7.5%. HbA1c measures average blood sugar levels over the past three months. Normal HbA1c levels range from 4% to 6%.
Acomplia lowered HbA1c levels by 0.6%. That may not sound like much, but recent studies indicate every 1% increase in HbA1c raises the risk of death -- from all causes -- by 24% for men and 28% for women.
Is This Normal? Get the Facts Fast!
Answer:
0-69
70-130
131+
Your level is currently
If the level is below 70 and you are experiencing symptoms such as shaking, sweating or difficulty thinking, you will need to raise the number immediately. A quick solution is to eat a few pieces of hard candy or 1 tablespoon of sugar or honey. Recheck your numbers again in 15 minutes to see if the number has gone up. If not, repeat the steps above or call your doctor.
People who experience hypoglycemia several times in a week should call their health care provider. It's important to monitor your levels each day so you can make sure your numbers are within the range. If you are pregnant always consult with your health care provider.
Congratulations on taking steps to manage your health.
However, it's important to continue to track your numbers so that you can make lifestyle changes if needed. If you are pregnant always consult with your physician.
Your level is high if this reading was taken before eating. Aim for 70-130 before meals and less than 180 two hours after meals.
Even if your number is high, it's not too late for you to take control of your health and lower your blood sugar.
One of the first steps is to monitor your levels each day. If you are pregnant always consult with your physician.
Did You Know Your Lifestyle Choices
Affect Your Blood Sugar?
Use the Blood Glucose Tracker to monitor
how well you manage your blood sugar over time.
This tool is not intended for women who are pregnant.
Step: of
Today in Diabetes
Health Solutions From Our Sponsors
©2005-2013 WebMD, LLC. All rights reserved.
WebMD does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. See additional information.