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.
Showing posts with label blood sugars. Show all posts
Showing posts with label blood sugars. Show all posts
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Saturday, March 28, 2009
How effective is Byetta for my diabetes?
In general, type 2 diabetes is treated with diet, exercise, and oral anti diabetic drugs. Now there is a new drug called Byetta (exenatide) to treat type 2 diabetes. The drug is administered as an injection but is not like insulin at all and not meant to treat type 1 diabetes. At present, Byetta is only approved for use in combination with special oral anti diabetic drugs. Incidentally, this drug was first discovered in the saliva of the Gila monster lizards.
Byetta works by mimicking the hormone incretin- this means it mimics incretin and increases insulin production when food is consumed. It also causes the liver to produce less sugar. Another benefit of the drug is that it reduces motility in the stomach, thus giving the patient a sensation of a full stomach. This leads to less food consumption and hence more weight loss. Several studies have shown that over 24-30 weeks, one can lose close to 2-3 kgs.
Byetta is available as an injection which can be given under the skin of abdomen, thighs, or upper arms. It is usually administered twice a day before the two heavy meals of the day. The meals should be at least six hours apart. To be effective Byetta must be injected within 60 minutes before the meals. It should not be injected once the meal has been consumed or more than 60 minutes before a meal is eaten.
Byetta works by mimicking the hormone incretin- this means it mimics incretin and increases insulin production when food is consumed. It also causes the liver to produce less sugar. Another benefit of the drug is that it reduces motility in the stomach, thus giving the patient a sensation of a full stomach. This leads to less food consumption and hence more weight loss. Several studies have shown that over 24-30 weeks, one can lose close to 2-3 kgs.
Byetta is available as an injection which can be given under the skin of abdomen, thighs, or upper arms. It is usually administered twice a day before the two heavy meals of the day. The meals should be at least six hours apart. To be effective Byetta must be injected within 60 minutes before the meals. It should not be injected once the meal has been consumed or more than 60 minutes before a meal is eaten.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Cinnamon and Diabetes
Cinnamon is a small plant widely grown in Sri Lanka. The leaves have a delicate aroma because of the presence of certain aromatic oils. There are several species of the cinnamon plant all of which are grown in Sri Lanka and neighboring countries. The bark of the plant has been used as a flavoring agent in cooking for centuries. Besides cooking, cinnamon is also used as a flavoring agent in desserts, candies, tea, coffee and liqueurs. Asian typically use cinnamon to flavor foods.
In medicine, cinnamon has gained a reputation as a giant disease killer. It is said to cure the common cold, diminish diarrhea, relieve toothache and can help fight bad breath. In cyberspace, there is nothing that cinnamon can’t cure.
In the last decade, the alternative health food industry has been marketing cinnamon as a treatment for diabetes. What is so surprising is that there is not a single scientific study in North America which has demonstrated that cinnamon can lower blood sugars. All the reports, save for one study, are anecdotal.
The one and only large study from Pakistan indicated that cinnamon was quite effective in lowering blood glucose levels in diabetics. The study also revealed that within a span of a month, both cholesterol and sugar levels dropped significantly. Cinnamon was consumed as capsules containing anywhere from 1-3 grs per day.
However, the study was of a short duration and other researchers have not been able to replicate these results.
According to the FDA there are two basic types of cinnamon sold in the USA- c zeylanicum and c cassia. Only C. cassia is sold in stores. In the study from Pakistan, the type of cinnamon used was not listed.
There have been numerous studies on cinnamon-some show that it does lower blood glucose and others show that it does not. For the moment, cinnamon should be used as a food flavoring agent. It is known to be safe. For diabetics, cinnamon is not yet the panacea for control of blood sugar and more controlled trials are needed to see whether it does anything.
For more information on diabetic supplies, please visit www.medexsupply.com
In medicine, cinnamon has gained a reputation as a giant disease killer. It is said to cure the common cold, diminish diarrhea, relieve toothache and can help fight bad breath. In cyberspace, there is nothing that cinnamon can’t cure.
In the last decade, the alternative health food industry has been marketing cinnamon as a treatment for diabetes. What is so surprising is that there is not a single scientific study in North America which has demonstrated that cinnamon can lower blood sugars. All the reports, save for one study, are anecdotal.
The one and only large study from Pakistan indicated that cinnamon was quite effective in lowering blood glucose levels in diabetics. The study also revealed that within a span of a month, both cholesterol and sugar levels dropped significantly. Cinnamon was consumed as capsules containing anywhere from 1-3 grs per day.
However, the study was of a short duration and other researchers have not been able to replicate these results.
According to the FDA there are two basic types of cinnamon sold in the USA- c zeylanicum and c cassia. Only C. cassia is sold in stores. In the study from Pakistan, the type of cinnamon used was not listed.
There have been numerous studies on cinnamon-some show that it does lower blood glucose and others show that it does not. For the moment, cinnamon should be used as a food flavoring agent. It is known to be safe. For diabetics, cinnamon is not yet the panacea for control of blood sugar and more controlled trials are needed to see whether it does anything.
For more information on diabetic supplies, please visit www.medexsupply.com
Lancets for Diabetics Part 1
Diabetic individuals unfortunately have to monitor their blood glucose levels on a regular basis. The only way to get blood is by piercing the skin with a lancet. Unlike the olden days when the lancets were large and cumbersome, the present day lancets are small, sharp and are much less painful.
Lancets are graded based on their gauge. The gauge essentially refers to width of the metal tip. The higher the gauge, the smaller the knick or perforation the lancet makes. In general, lancets with a higher gauge number are much less painful, but on the other hand since they do not penetrate the skin deep, the amount of blood obtained is much less.
Lancets can be used alone or with a lancing device. Using a lancet alone is painful because the depth of the jab can not be controlled. The lancet devices come with a mechanism such that the knife is suddenly released and retracts.
The depth of penetration can also be adjusted. If the skin is thick, one has to allow for deeper penetration. Use of lancet devices is much less painful than using the lancet alone.
At Medexsupply one can obtain a wide range of diabetic supplies including blood glucose monitors, kits, infusion sets, test strips and glucose tablets.
Lancets are graded based on their gauge. The gauge essentially refers to width of the metal tip. The higher the gauge, the smaller the knick or perforation the lancet makes. In general, lancets with a higher gauge number are much less painful, but on the other hand since they do not penetrate the skin deep, the amount of blood obtained is much less.
Lancets can be used alone or with a lancing device. Using a lancet alone is painful because the depth of the jab can not be controlled. The lancet devices come with a mechanism such that the knife is suddenly released and retracts.
The depth of penetration can also be adjusted. If the skin is thick, one has to allow for deeper penetration. Use of lancet devices is much less painful than using the lancet alone.
At Medexsupply one can obtain a wide range of diabetic supplies including blood glucose monitors, kits, infusion sets, test strips and glucose tablets.
Insulin Pumps Part 2
Disadvantages of the pump include:
- There is a learning period to use the pump most efficiently. Initially it takes time to obtain the baseline insulin levels. Frequent blood sugars need to be measured to obtain the desired levels of insulin.
- Pump malfunction can occur and one can develop too high or too low sugars.
- Individuals who are not good at maintaining their weight or calories are not good candidates for the insulin pump.
- The site where the plastic tubing enters the skin can get infected. When an infection does occur, one has to stop using the pump.
- Because the pump is a mechanical device, one has to repeatedly check to ensure that the batteries are working and that the tubing is not kinked.
- Insulin pumps are expensive and can cost anywhere from $2,000-$5,000. Not all insurance companies cover insulin pumps.
The use of an insulin pump requires motivation and dedication. For those who want to use the device, the blood sugars must be checked 3-4 times a day. In addition, one has to control the diet and let the device know how many extra calories have been eaten. Individuals who are constantly eating require a lot of insulin. Anyone who needs more than 100-150 units of insulin a day, is not a good candidate for an insulin pump.
The biggest advantage of an insulin pump is that it can maintain glucose levels near normal and help prevent some of the feared complications of diabetes.
Insulin pumps are not for all diabetics. One does need to have training in how to use the pump. Further, blood sugars do have to be checked every 3-4 hours. The insulin pump also costs a lot more than syringes and needles.
For more on diabetic supplies, visit www.medexsupply.com
- There is a learning period to use the pump most efficiently. Initially it takes time to obtain the baseline insulin levels. Frequent blood sugars need to be measured to obtain the desired levels of insulin.
- Pump malfunction can occur and one can develop too high or too low sugars.
- Individuals who are not good at maintaining their weight or calories are not good candidates for the insulin pump.
- The site where the plastic tubing enters the skin can get infected. When an infection does occur, one has to stop using the pump.
- Because the pump is a mechanical device, one has to repeatedly check to ensure that the batteries are working and that the tubing is not kinked.
- Insulin pumps are expensive and can cost anywhere from $2,000-$5,000. Not all insurance companies cover insulin pumps.
The use of an insulin pump requires motivation and dedication. For those who want to use the device, the blood sugars must be checked 3-4 times a day. In addition, one has to control the diet and let the device know how many extra calories have been eaten. Individuals who are constantly eating require a lot of insulin. Anyone who needs more than 100-150 units of insulin a day, is not a good candidate for an insulin pump.
The biggest advantage of an insulin pump is that it can maintain glucose levels near normal and help prevent some of the feared complications of diabetes.
Insulin pumps are not for all diabetics. One does need to have training in how to use the pump. Further, blood sugars do have to be checked every 3-4 hours. The insulin pump also costs a lot more than syringes and needles.
For more on diabetic supplies, visit www.medexsupply.com
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