New research from Kaiser Permanente finds that the popular Type 2 diabetes drug metfomin works twice as long for those patients that begin taking it within three months of their diagnosis, according to an article in the Times of India.
Metformin is prescribed for the vast majority of Type 2 patients. However, it typically stops working and additional drugs need to be added to the mix to help the patients keep their blood sugar under control. People with Type 2 diabetes produce the insulin, the hormone that regulates sugar levels in the blood, but don’t use it efficiently. Many need to take medicine to help control their sugar levels.
With patients taking Metformin within three months of diagnosis, the drug failed at a rate of 12% per year, according to the study. For those that began taking it one to two years after diagnosis, the drug failed at a rate 21.4%. Researchers say they believe the reason for the discrepancy is that by taking the drug early on patients are able to preserve some of their own body’s ability to control blood sugar levels.
Researchers say the study is important because it can help patients with Type 2 diabetes avoid paying extra for additional medications and can help them avoid some of the added risks and complications, such as weight gain, associated with some additional drugs.
However, one of the biggest barriers for doctors and patients is that many people living with Type 2 diabetes don’t know they have the disease until some of the complications have started to kick in.
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