By: Joann Bally CSCS
You may have read about the study that concludes that the diabetes drug Avandia substantially increases the risk of heart attacks and death from cardiovascular disease. FDA issued an alert and was urged by some to withdraw the drug, but the manufacturer contends the study was flawed.
This isn’t exactly shocking news. In the 2005 edition of Worst Pills, Best Pills, by Sidney M. Wolfe, M.D., et al., there are cautions about all diabetes drugs. The authors state: “Diabetes pills, although the easiest therapy to follow, actually undermine the purpose of treating diabetes because they may increase your chances of dying from cardiovascular disease.” The package insert for Avandia and others cautions that it may cause or worsen congestive heart failure.
In 2002, the New England Journal of Medicine published a study in which patients at high risk for type 2 diabetes were assigned to placebo, the diabetes drug metformin, or lifestyle groups. After the 2.8 year study, 11% of patients in placebo group, 7.8% of metformin group, and 4.8% of lifestyle group developed diabetes. Lifestyle changes were to aim for weight reduction of 7% of body weight and to walk 150 minutes a week. This rather modest prescription was much better than the drug at preventing diabetes.
Lifestyle changes are effective in both preventing and treating many cases of diabetes. If you have, or are at risk for type 2 diabetes, discuss the lifestyle approach with your doctor. Don’t just quit taking the drug. All drugs have side effects, but sometimes they are necessary. Other times they are just more convenient. Check with the doc.
Related using the H&F.com Search:
Insomnia may increase Diabetes Risk
HEALTHandFITNESS.com 
