Victoza: A new drug for type 2 diabetes

The FDA has just approved a new drug for type 2 diabetes. Called Victoza (liraglutide), this drug is administered as an injection once a day. Victoza can help lower blood sugars in combination with changes in duet, and exercise.

Victoza is not the drug of first choice for diabetics and is only approved for use in individuals who have fail to lower blood sugars with diet and exercise.

The drug belong to call of drugs known as glucagon-like peptides receptor agonists and helps the pancreas manufacture more insulin following a meal.

Five large trials have shown that Victoza works quite well in diabetics. However, one major side effect of Victoza is that a number of individuals did develop pancreatitis (painful inflammatory disorder of the pancreas).

The recommendations are that Victoza should be stopped when patients experience abdominal pain and should not be restarted if blood tests confirm the presence of pancreatitis. Moreover, Victoza should be used with great caution in individuals who have had previous episodes of pancreatitis.

Unlike other diabetic drugs, Victoza does not have any damaging effects on the heart.

Other points of note is that there is also concern that Victoza may increase the risk of thyroid cancer and induce allergic skin reactions.

At the moment, Victoza is not as a first line treatment for type 2 diabetes until more is known about the drug. Because of its potential complications, Victoza should only be taken by individuals whose risk of diabetes outweighs concern for pancreatitis or cancer of the thyroid.

The drug is made by Novo Nordisk and does not come cheap. A single (1.2 mg) dose costs $8 a day. Considering its potential for harm and cost, diabetic patients are best advised to start altering their diet and enter an exercise program. Lifestyle alterations to reduce blood sugar do work, can be done safely and are devoid of complications.

Victoza: part 2

How does Victoza work?

Victoza is actually a glucagon like peptide that works by stimulating release of insulin from pancreas when blood sugar levels become too high. The drug can also reduce appetite and lead to weight loss.

How often does Victoza have to be administered?

Victoza can be taken any time as long as you take it the same time each day.

What are benefits of Victoza?

Victoza is recommend as good treatment choice for initial therapy, Experts indicate that besides causing weight loss, it is virtually free of low-blood-sugar reactions, something no patient likes to see. Finally, it does have positive benefits with regard to blood pressure, particularly systolic blood pressure

Does the drug have side effects?

There are reports that the drug can cause thyroid enlargement or cancer in rats.
The final decision now rests with the FDA and investors fear the agency will err on the side of caution, delaying -- and possibly blocking -- the drug's U.S. launch.

If Victoza wins FDA approval, it will the first-line treatment for newly diagnosed patients. That is because the drug stimulates insulin production by beta cells of the pancreas.

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Victoza- once a day drug for diabetes?

One of the latest novel medications developed to treat type 2 diabetes is Victoza. Made by the pharmaceutical company, Novo Nordisk of Denmark, Victoza has gained a lot of favorable reports. Victoza® is the brand name for Liraglutide and is the first once a day drug for treatment of type 2 diabetes. Unlike previous oral hypoglycemic drugs, Victoza is actually human glucagon like peptide and is only administered via an injection. Experts in diabetes claim that Victoza has several advantages for diabetics.

These include:

Can be combined with metformin or other oral hypoglycemic agent in patients with poor sugar control despite maximal tolerated dose of metformin or other oral hypoglycemics.

The drug can help diabetics lose weight.

It does not cause profound drop in blood sugars.

The drug is undergoing final evaluation by the FDA and news of its release in the North American market is expected soon. Clinical Studies from Europe involving thousands of diabetic patients have shown that Victoza can lower blood glucose and help reduce weight. Further, unlike other oral hypoglycemics, it does not cause a profound drop in blood sugars.