Type 2 Diabetes Treatment Victoza Helps Type 1, Too
Why Victoza Might Help Type 1 Diabetes continued...
Would Byetta work as well as Victoza in type 1 diabetes? That hasn't yet been tested, but Dandona says it should have much the same effect.
Neither Victoza nor Byetta is approved for use in type 1 diabetes. Doctors could prescribe these medications for type 1 diabetes (known as "off-label use), but Dandona says this should be tried only by a endocrinologist specializing in diabetes -- and only with careful and frequent patient monitoring.
GLP-1 inhibitors act on the brain to reduce appetite. Because of the weight loss, thin people with type 1 diabetes should not use these drugs. However, some 30% of people with type 1 diabetes are overweight, so the weight loss would be a benefit to such patients.
Victoza has other more serious side effects. The most important are abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting, although these side effects tend to lessen or go away after a week or two of treatment. Even so, Dandona says these side effects cause about 5% of type 2 diabetes patients to stop taking the drug.
Although the Dandona study was performed without drug company support, Victoza maker Novo Nordisk is paying for a larger clinical trial. Dandona already has asked the National Institutes of Health to support a large-scale study if this larger study yields similar results to the current pilot study.
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.
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