Dr Dear said the drugs potential was important, as Type 2 diabetics often had poor cardiovascular health. Credit: iStock
(Medical Xpress)—New research has shown the promising potential of a glucose-regulating drug to improve the condition of arteries for diabetes sufferers, possibly protecting them against heart attack or stroke.
Dr Anthony Dear and Professor Richard Simpson from Monash University's Eastern Clinical Research Unit are leading a research team, who for several years have been investigating the beneficial side effect of the a new glucose-regulating medication.
A pre-clinical study, published in the journal Diabetes and Vascular Disease Research, demonstrated potentially beneficial effects of the drug in improving or stabilising diabetic vascular disease.
Dr Dear said the drug's potential was important, as Type 2 diabetics often had poor cardiovascular health.
"As the global epidemic of diabetes escalates, this drug has the potential to offer tremendous help to millions of diabetics worldwide," Dr Dear said.
"Pre-clinical studies suggest the drug may improve vascular health in Type 2 diabetics. We think it may have the potential to reduce heart attacks and strokes in those diabetics whose cardiovascular systems are damaged due to the disease.
"Lots of drugs lower blood sugar but they don't necessarily protect blood vessels."
Dr Dear said the drug was derived from the natural gut hormone, Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 (GLP-1).
"It effectively lowers blood glucose by stimulating insulin release in the body. It is a derivative of a naturally-occurring substance which appears to have receptors for it on the surface of blood vessel cells in addition to the pancreas, suggesting it may also have an effect on blood vessel disease," Dr Dear said.
"We think it may also 'smooth' the surface of vessel walls and make them less sticky and prone to develop 'blockages' - a condition frequently seen in Type 2 diabetics. This would mean that blockages, often contributing to the cause of heart attacks and strokes, would be less likely to form."
Dr Dear said the drug might have the extra potential to improve some of the challenges experienced by diabetics, including weight loss.
"One of the effects of the drug, and natural hormone from which the drug is derived, is to cause weight loss," Dr Dear said.
"Its benefits outside of lowering blood-sugar levels are conducive to problems that diabetics may have, such as being overweight or accelerated blood vessel disease."
The research is being conducted by the Eastern Clinical Research Unit, Translational Research Division at Monash in collaboration with the University's Department of Pharmacology.
The World Health Organisation reports that more that more than 347 million people worldwide live with diabetes and around 90 per cent of these cases are Type 2.
Explore further: Gout drug shown to benefit diabetes patients at risk of heart disease
More information: dvr.sagepub.com/content/early/2013/05/10/1479164113481817.full.pdf
Medical Xpress on facebook
Related Stories
Gout drug shown to benefit diabetes patients at risk of heart disease
Aug 29, 2013
New research carried out at the University of Dundee has led to the possibility of using an old drug to help prevent the biggest cause of death in Type II diabetes patients.
Short-term blood sugar control in patients with diabetes has limited effect on risk of cardiovascular problems
Sep 03, 2013
(Medical Xpress)—An international study has shown that short-term blood sugar control in patients with diabetes has a limited effect on their risk of cardiovascular problems, such as heart disease and stroke.
Cardiovascular risk in type 2 diabetics with dangerously low blood sugar levels
Jul 30, 2013
Type 2 diabetics who have severe hypoglycaemia are at higher risk of cardiovascular disease, a paper published today in BMJ suggests.
Diabetes drug may reduce brain damage after stroke
Dec 03, 2012
In a study in mice, scientists at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden have discovered a new potential therapy that may reduce brain damage following stroke in type 2 diabetic patients. The suggested drug is already approved for ...
Pain reliever lowers blood sugar in type 2 diabetics, study says
Jul 01, 2013
(HealthDay)— An aspirin-like drug appears to lower blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes, according to new research.
Recommended for you
Metformin may increase risk of cognitive impairment
Sep 21, 2013
(HealthDay)—Metformin may increase the risk of cognitive impairment in patients with diabetes; however, calcium supplementation may attenuate this risk, according to research published online Sept. 5 in ...
Cost and perceived need barriers to diabetes eye care
Sep 20, 2013
(HealthDay)—Cost, lack of insurance, and no need are the most commonly cited reasons why adults with diabetes do not seek annual eye care, according to a study published online Sept. 5 in Diabetes Care.
New islet cell transplant procedure offers improved outcomes for patients with type 1 diabetes
Sep 19, 2013
The latest approach to islet transplantation, in which clusters of insulin-producing cells known as islets are transplanted from a donor pancreas into another person's liver, has produced substantially improved results for ...
Patient-centered diabetes care best in those with high HbA1c
Sep 18, 2013
(HealthDay)—Patient-centered diabetes care is most effective when targeted to patients with HbA1c >8.5 percent, according to a study published online Aug. 15 in Diabetes Care.
Lifestyle, age linked to diabetes-related protein
Sep 18, 2013
Over the last decade researchers have amassed increasing evidence that relatively low levels of a protein called sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) can indicate an elevated risk of type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome years ...
Detection bias may explain raised bladder CA risk in T2DM
Sep 17, 2013
(HealthDay)—Early detection bias may explain the pattern of increased bladder cancer risk previously reported in patients with type 2 diabetes, according to a study published online Aug. 29 in Diabetes Ca ...
User comments
© Medical Xpress 2011-2013, Phys.org network
Dr Dear said the drugs potential was important, as Type 2 diabetics often had poor cardiovascular health. Credit: iStock
(Medical Xpress)—New research has shown the promising potential of a glucose-regulating drug to improve the condition of arteries for diabetes sufferers, possibly protecting them against heart attack or stroke.
Dr Anthony Dear and Professor Richard Simpson from Monash University's Eastern Clinical Research Unit are leading a research team, who for several years have been investigating the beneficial side effect of the a new glucose-regulating medication.
A pre-clinical study, published in the journal Diabetes and Vascular Disease Research, demonstrated potentially beneficial effects of the drug in improving or stabilising diabetic vascular disease.
Dr Dear said the drug's potential was important, as Type 2 diabetics often had poor cardiovascular health.
"As the global epidemic of diabetes escalates, this drug has the potential to offer tremendous help to millions of diabetics worldwide," Dr Dear said.
"Pre-clinical studies suggest the drug may improve vascular health in Type 2 diabetics. We think it may have the potential to reduce heart attacks and strokes in those diabetics whose cardiovascular systems are damaged due to the disease.
"Lots of drugs lower blood sugar but they don't necessarily protect blood vessels."
Dr Dear said the drug was derived from the natural gut hormone, Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 (GLP-1).
"It effectively lowers blood glucose by stimulating insulin release in the body. It is a derivative of a naturally-occurring substance which appears to have receptors for it on the surface of blood vessel cells in addition to the pancreas, suggesting it may also have an effect on blood vessel disease," Dr Dear said.
"We think it may also 'smooth' the surface of vessel walls and make them less sticky and prone to develop 'blockages' - a condition frequently seen in Type 2 diabetics. This would mean that blockages, often contributing to the cause of heart attacks and strokes, would be less likely to form."
Dr Dear said the drug might have the extra potential to improve some of the challenges experienced by diabetics, including weight loss.
"One of the effects of the drug, and natural hormone from which the drug is derived, is to cause weight loss," Dr Dear said.
"Its benefits outside of lowering blood-sugar levels are conducive to problems that diabetics may have, such as being overweight or accelerated blood vessel disease."
The research is being conducted by the Eastern Clinical Research Unit, Translational Research Division at Monash in collaboration with the University's Department of Pharmacology.
The World Health Organisation reports that more that more than 347 million people worldwide live with diabetes and around 90 per cent of these cases are Type 2.
Explore further: Gout drug shown to benefit diabetes patients at risk of heart disease
More information: dvr.sagepub.com/content/early/2013/05/10/1479164113481817.full.pdf
Medical Xpress on facebook
Related Stories
Gout drug shown to benefit diabetes patients at risk of heart disease
Aug 29, 2013
New research carried out at the University of Dundee has led to the possibility of using an old drug to help prevent the biggest cause of death in Type II diabetes patients.
Short-term blood sugar control in patients with diabetes has limited effect on risk of cardiovascular problems
Sep 03, 2013
(Medical Xpress)—An international study has shown that short-term blood sugar control in patients with diabetes has a limited effect on their risk of cardiovascular problems, such as heart disease and stroke.
Cardiovascular risk in type 2 diabetics with dangerously low blood sugar levels
Jul 30, 2013
Type 2 diabetics who have severe hypoglycaemia are at higher risk of cardiovascular disease, a paper published today in BMJ suggests.
Diabetes drug may reduce brain damage after stroke
Dec 03, 2012
In a study in mice, scientists at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden have discovered a new potential therapy that may reduce brain damage following stroke in type 2 diabetic patients. The suggested drug is already approved for ...
Pain reliever lowers blood sugar in type 2 diabetics, study says
Jul 01, 2013
(HealthDay)— An aspirin-like drug appears to lower blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes, according to new research.
Recommended for you
Metformin may increase risk of cognitive impairment
Sep 21, 2013
(HealthDay)—Metformin may increase the risk of cognitive impairment in patients with diabetes; however, calcium supplementation may attenuate this risk, according to research published online Sept. 5 in ...
Cost and perceived need barriers to diabetes eye care
Sep 20, 2013
(HealthDay)—Cost, lack of insurance, and no need are the most commonly cited reasons why adults with diabetes do not seek annual eye care, according to a study published online Sept. 5 in Diabetes Care.
New islet cell transplant procedure offers improved outcomes for patients with type 1 diabetes
Sep 19, 2013
The latest approach to islet transplantation, in which clusters of insulin-producing cells known as islets are transplanted from a donor pancreas into another person's liver, has produced substantially improved results for ...
Patient-centered diabetes care best in those with high HbA1c
Sep 18, 2013
(HealthDay)—Patient-centered diabetes care is most effective when targeted to patients with HbA1c >8.5 percent, according to a study published online Aug. 15 in Diabetes Care.
Lifestyle, age linked to diabetes-related protein
Sep 18, 2013
Over the last decade researchers have amassed increasing evidence that relatively low levels of a protein called sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) can indicate an elevated risk of type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome years ...
Detection bias may explain raised bladder CA risk in T2DM
Sep 17, 2013
(HealthDay)—Early detection bias may explain the pattern of increased bladder cancer risk previously reported in patients with type 2 diabetes, according to a study published online Aug. 29 in Diabetes Ca ...
User comments
© Medical Xpress 2011-2013, Phys.org network
0 comments:
Post a Comment