International News

WASHINGTON, June 13, (APP/AFP) – An anti-diabetic
drug that lowers blood sugar levels for type 2 diabetes sufferers also significantly cuts the risk of cardiovascular and kidney disease, according to a study published Monday.
The findings, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, came
in a clinical trial of more than 10,000 patients in 30 countries, using
canagliflozin.
It found the drug reduced the overall risk of cardiovascular disease
by 14 percent and reduced the risk of heart failure hospitalization by 33 percent. It was also shown to have a significant impact — 40 percent less — on the progression of a serious kidney decline.
The George Institute for Global Health study has major implications
for the treatment of type 2 diabetes, which affects around 450 million people worldwide, the authors said.
“Coronary heart disease is the biggest killer by far for people with
type 2 diabetes. Our findings suggest not only does canagliflozin significantly reduce the risk of heart disease, it also has many other benefits too,” said the group’s Bruce Neal.
“We found it also reduced blood pressure and led to weight loss.
“Type 2 diabetes is growing rapidly all over the world and we need
drugs that not only deal with glucose levels, but also protect many millions of people from the very real risks of stroke and heart attack.”
The study was presented at the American Diabetes Association
Conference in San Diego.