Drinking a pint of milk a day may protect against diabetes and heart disease, say UK researchers.
Side Effect Reports Triple for GalaxoSmithKline’s Diabetes Drug Avandia
Earlier news about GalaxoSmithKline’s widely used diabetes drug, Avandia reported heart problem side effects for the drug.
Following the initial findings reported in the New England Journal of Medicine, the number of reports tripled in the following month, as physicians likely began making the connection between their patients heart problems and Avandia, according to the Associated Press, which obtained the information through a Freedom of Information Act request to the FDA.
Source: AP
Selenium Mineral Supplements May Increase Diabetes Risk
A recent study suggests that taking selenium supplements for a number of years increased the chances of developing diabetes. Tiny amounts of selenium, which occurs naturally in the soil and a wide range of foods, are essential for a healthy metabolism. There is also good evidence that selenium protects against prostate cancer.
AstraZeneca Diabetes Drug Dapagliflozin Shows Promise
A new, experimental diabetes drug from AstraZeneca and Bristol-Myers Squibb called dapagliflozin, a Type 2 diabetes treatment developed showed some positive results, according to a presentation at the American Diabetes Association annual conference.
The companies reported that "no discontinuations due to adverse events and no serious adverse events" occurred. Furthermore, pre-clinical data also revealed that in tests on diabetic rats, the treatment significantly reduced plasma glucose levels–in some cases only two hours after a first dose.
Lawsuit Charges Glaxo Failed to Warn of Diabetes Drug Risk
The widow and son of a Texas man who was taking a GlaxoSmithKline Plc diabetes drug at the time of his fatal heart attack has sued the drugmaker, claiming that it failed to warn of the drug’s heart risks, according to court papers.
The claim involves rosiglitazone, which is sold under the brand names Avandia and Advandamet. Investors have been bracing for a flood of litigation against Glaxo after a widely publicized medical report last month suggested that Avandia increases the risk of heart attack and death.
Exercise Helps Control Type 2 Diabetes
Regular exercise among women with type 2 diabetes may not only reduce waist size, but may also reduce the amount of visceral fat surrounding organs in the abdomen — the type of fat known to be associated with insulin resistance, a study shows.
Pesticides Linked to Diabetes in Pregnancy
A pregnant mother’s exposure to pesticides may affect the risk of her developing diabetes during pregnancy, new research suggests.
Dr. Tina M. Saldana and a team of researchers from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences in North Carolina assessed the risk of gestational diabetes amongst wives of farmers.
Source: Diabetes Care
Diabetes and Diet Soft Drinks Linked
Several studies have linked soda drinking–including diet soda– with diabetes and metabolic syndrome, a series of conditions such as obesity, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure.
According to the American Heart Association, people with metabolic syndrome are at increased risk of coronary heart disease and other diseases related to plaque buildups in artery walls.
One of the most recent studies was unique in that it included a large populations–about 6,000 individuals who were part of the Framingham Heart Study that has been following patients since 1948 in the town of Framingham, MA.
Sources:
Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA. 2004;292:927-934)
Circulation, July 24, 2007
Boric Acid to Treat Yeast Infections In Diabetic Women
Diabetic women are likely to have more success in treating their yeast infections with boric acid vaginal suppositories than with azole drugs, such as the anti fungal medication fluconazole.
According to a recent report, many yeast infections in women with diabetes are "due to non–albicans Candida species such as C. glabrata and C. tropicalis. Observational studies indicate that diabetic patients with C. glabrata VVC respond poorly to azole drugs."
Source: Diabetes Care 30:312-317, 2007