UAE has new therapy for Type 2 diabetes
One of the main reasons of spiralling diabetes is poor blood sugar control amongst those who are under treatment. Poor blood sugar or glycaemic control is impacted by the environment people live in and the lifestyle they adopt.
To better control blood sugar, a new therapy for Type II diabetes has recently been introduced in the UAE. It is an injectable prescription medicine that contains two diabetes medicines to provide potentially better glycemic solution for patients, with lower risk of hypoglycemia or weight gain compared with insulin therapy. UAE is the third country in the world to receive the treatment option.
“Taking medication or insulin injections in correct dosage and duration, avoiding direct sugar all the time, having a meal that has complex and low carbohydrates, high fibre, taking walks regularly is sometimes a tough routine for patients to follow. The new therapy provides a more attainable complete glycemic solution to help more patients achieve their goals,” said Dr Mohammad Hassanein, consultant endocrinologist of Dubai Hospital.
Therapy helps in 5 ways
The therapy works five ways in the body to control blood sugar and helps lower A1c (average blood glucose over the past two to three months). With the new therapy, combining two drugs in one injection has shown positive results such fewer side effects, greater A1c reductions, fewer gastrointestinal side effects, less weight gain than taking insulin alone, no increased risk of hypoglycemia.
The therapy will enable patients and their physicians to optimise the dosage, while maintaining acceptable tolerability and simplicity, without increased side effects.
Dr Huda Ezzeddin Mustafa, consultant and division chief endocrinology and diabetes at the Shaikh Khalifa Medical City (SKMC), said: “Worldwide it is an accepted fact that blood sugar control is achieved in only 30-40 per cent of patients. Therefore, one needs to focus on educating the patient about the nature of the disease, its progression, the behavioural and lifestyle changes to be made to arrest the progression of the disease.
“People with obesity and women with polycystic ovaries and gestational diabetes during pregnancy have a higher propensity of being diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes within five years. We follow a universal screening programme for all to check for pre diabetics so that the onset of the disease can either be delayed or eliminated. This play an important step in prevention or delay of diabetes.”
saman@khaleejtimes.com
People with obesity and women with polycystic ovaries and gestational diabetes during pregnancy have a higher propensity of being diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes within five years.” Dr Huda Ezzeddin Mustafa, consultant, Shaikh Khalifa Medical City