Metformin plus a sulphonylurea increased the risk of death 96% over 10.7 years in Type 2 diabetics

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Thursday, October 13, 2011 3:11 pm Email this article
Adding the diabetes drug metformin (Glucophage) to Type 2 diabetics who were already taking a sulphonylurea DOUBLED the risk of diabetes-related death -- a 96% increase -- over 10.7 years compared with continued sulphonylurea alone according to a 1998 study.

Metformin alone was the only diabetes drug to reduce the risk of death.

Subjects

Subjects: 753 Type 2 diabetics

The study involved 753 Type 2 diabetics.

“Of 4075 patients recruited to UKPDS in 15 centres, 1704 overweight (>120% ideal bodyweight) patients with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes, mean age 53 years, had raised fasting plasma glucose (FPG; 6.1-15.0 mmol/L) without hyperglycaemic symptoms after 3 months’ initial diet,” according to the paper.

“753 were included in a randomised controlled trial, median duration 10.7 years, of conventional policy, primarily with diet alone (n=411) versus intensive blood-glucose control policy with metformin, aiming for FPG below 6 mmol/L (n=342).”

“A secondary analysis compared the
342 patients allocated metformin with
951 overweight patients allocated intensive blood-glucose control with
chlorpropamide (n=265),
glibenclamide (n=277), or
insulin (n=409).”

Sulphonylurea Drugs

Sulphonylurea : List of

Sulphonylurea Drugs include:

• Carbutamide
• Acetohexamide
• Chlorpropamide
• Tolbutamide
• Tolazamide
• Glipizide
• Gliclazide
• Glibenclamide (glyburide)
• Glyclopyramide
• Gliquidone
• Glimepiride

 

Julian Whitaker, MD uses NO oral diabetes drugs

Julian Whitaker, MD uses no oral diabetes drugs in Type 2 diabetics

Julian Whitaker, MD from the Whitaker Wellness in Newport Beach, California uses NO oral diabetes drugs in Type 2 diabetics.

Dr. Whitaker is the author of “Reversing Diabetes”.

Reference

Effect of intensive blood-glucose control with metformin on complications in overweight patients with type 2 diabetes (ukpds 34). Uk prospective diabetes study (ukpds) group. Lancet. 1998 Sep 12, 352(9131):854-65.

Articles on the same subject can be found here:

• Diabetes

• Diabetes drugs

• Glucophage (metformin)