The drug that is used to lower blood sugar levels for people suffering from Type-2 diabetes can also significantly help reducing the risk of cardiovascular and kidney disorders, a recent research has claimed. Type-2 diabetes affects around 450 million people around the globe. This lifestyle-based disorder also ups the risk of hearts diseases heart attack as well as stroke. The findings published in the New England Journal of Medicine, revealed that the drug called canagliflozin, reduce the risk of cardiovascular disorders by up to 14% and heart failure hospitalization by 33%. The research has also indicated a significant impact on the progression of kidney disease, as the patients were 40 per cent lesser prone to develop a kidney disease. The research was published in the New England Journal of Medicine.
"Coronary heart disease is the biggest killer by far for people with Type 2 diabetes. Our findings suggest that not only does canagliflozin significantly reduce the risk of heart disease, it also has many other benefits too. We found it also reduced blood pressure and led to weight loss," said Bruce Neal, Professor at The George Institute for Global Health in New South Wales, Australia.
Canagliflozin, also known by the name, SGLT2 inhibitor, is a comparatively a novel variety of drug that functions by inhibiting the body's reabsorption of sugar or glucose. This causes in more glucose being released in the urine which thereby reduces the glucose levels of blood. Most of the other diabetic drugs function by managing the insulin levels.
"This really is a game changer in the treatment of Type 2 diabetes. It not only reduces the risk of heart disease, it also provides real protection against kidney decline which affects many people with diabetes," added Vlado Perkovic, Professor and Executive Director at The George Institute for Global Health. For the study, the team analysed more than 10,000 patients in 30 countries.
