Category: Diabetes News

The Food and Drug Administration has received a new application from Sprout Pharmaceutical for approval of Flibanserin as a libido booster for women. The FDA has twice refused approval of Flibanserin because of side effects, which included fatigue, dizziness and nausea, and also because of lackluster effectiveness. Sprout re-filed its application and included new information that the FDA had requested from them about how Flibanserin affects the ability of women to drive.

Continue reading “Flibanserin Submitted For Another FDA Approval”

By using an engineered strain of lactobacillus (human probiotics common in the gut of the body) that would secrete a Glucagen-like peptide (GPL-1), researchers saw that the engineered probiotic created up to a 30 percent lower high blood glucose in rats with diabetes. The team orally administered the engineered probiotics for 90 days to the rats.

Continue reading “Positive Treatment for Diabetic Rats with Engineered Probiotics”

Diabetes is a chronic disease that affects millions of people worldwide. While diabetes can be managed at any age, it can be more challenging to manage in older adults, especially those with multiple medical conditions.

One of the most important things to monitor in diabetes management is A1C levels. A1C is a blood test that measures average blood sugar levels over the past two to three months. Lower A1C levels are generally better, but there is an increased risk of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) when A1C levels are too low.

In older adults with multiple medical conditions, the risks of hypoglycemia may outweigh the benefits of aggressive A1C control. This is because older adults are more likely to have other health conditions that can make them more susceptible to hypoglycemia, such as heart disease, kidney disease, and liver disease.

A recent study published in JAMA Internal Medicine found that many older adults with diabetes are being treated aggressively, despite the risks of hypoglycemia. The study found that nearly half of older adults with diabetes and multiple medical conditions had A1C levels below 7%.

The American Geriatrics Society and the American Diabetes Association recommend less aggressive A1C goals for older adults with multiple medical conditions. The American Geriatrics Society recommends an A1C goal of 7.5-8.0% for older adults with moderate comorbidities and a life expectancy of less than 10 years. The American Diabetes Association recommends an A1C goal of 8-8.5% for older adults with complex medical issues.

It is important to work with your doctor to develop a personalized diabetes management plan that is right for you. This plan should take into account your individual health status, life expectancy, and other factors.

Here are some tips for managing diabetes in older adults with multiple medical conditions:

• Talk to your doctor about your A1C goal and what is right for you.
• Monitor your blood sugar levels regularly and keep a record of your results.
• Take your medications as prescribed by your doctor.
• Eat a healthy diet and exercise regularly.
• Be aware of the signs and symptoms of hypoglycemia and know what to do if it occurs.

By following these tips, older adults with diabetes and multiple medical conditions can live healthy and active lives.

Results of a study conducted by Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University and Harvard School of Public Health show that women who are suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder are nearly twice as likely to develop type 2 diabetes when compared with women who don’t have PTSD.

Continue reading “Women’s Risk of Type 2 Diabetes Double when Coupled with PTSD”

A proof-of-concept study, scheduled to be published in the American Chemical Society’s journal Analytical Chemistry in the near future and submitted by Joseph Wang and colleagues at the University of California San Diego, indicates that a rub-on, tattoo-like sensor that sticks to the skin that they have developed can detect glucose levels.

Continue reading “Rub-On, Tattoo-Like Sensor for Testing Blood Sugar Levels?”

According to a recent study, type 1 diabetic patients have found some very welcoming news after receiving pancreatic islet transplantation for complications derived from insulin treatments.

Continue reading “New Information on Islet Cell Transplantation”

According to a new study in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, only half of the adults in the United States were screened within the last three years for diabetes; therefore, one-third of the people with diabetes are not diagnosed with this life-threatening health condition.

Continue reading “Up to One-Third of People with Diabetes are NOT Diagnosed”

Liraglutide (marketed under the brand name Victoza), a long-acting treatment for type 2 diabetes, has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration in higher-dose prescription form for weight loss in obese patients, and in otherwise overweight people who have at least one weight-related problem such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure or diabetes. Victoza, when used for weight loss in its higher-dose prescription form, will be sold under the brand name Saxenda, which will be administered as a daily injection in a pen-like dispenser.

Continue reading “Saxenda Headed to the Weight Loss Market”

“Too Sweet, the Not-So-Serious Side to Diabetes,” a book by Laura Kronen.

Highly recommended reading for a family member, friend, significant other or anyone you know who might be interested in the real life of someone who is dealing with Type 1 diabetes on a daily basis — a tough job. Gutsy book from a gutsy lady, lots of laughter, but the true facts are there. Great Christmas gift.

“Too Sweet” gives you a day-to-day look at the battle that a person with Type 1 diabetes goes through. Normally, not a fun job, but Kronen puts a funny spin in the right places. If you can’t laugh about some of these situations, they will laugh at you, so you might as well get the jump on them. High glucose levels, low glucose levels; working glucose meter, malfunctioning glucose meter; blood strips trailing you around the house. It’s all in this book. You are there, you live it. A very serious condition that needs serious consideration every minute of the day. And only someone living this life can put into words what it is truly like. Kronen does an excellent job of telling us about the never-ending responsibilities of taking care of Type 1 diabetes. She’s lived it, still lives it and is doing a fine job of it.

Enjoy the book. Laugh with Kronen. It might just keep that blood glucose level normal for a couple of days.

Smile, be happy, use that pump or take that shot, but smile, be happy.

FDA Update

The FDA has announced on 5/15/2015 that the use of SGLT2 inhibitors can cause too much acid in the patient. Please read the above link for additional details on this development.

A new study supports that a drug combination may be better at reducing blood sugar levels then one medication alone. Scientists suggest that this synergetic mechanism of two medications, Metformin and SGLT2 inhibitors could just be the next stage in treating diabetes.

Continue reading “Study Shows Drug Combination Best When Treating Diabetes”