Diabetics

Researchers have identified a novel inhibitor drug that, when given to mice, prevented both eye and kidney complications commonly seen in diabetics. With the potential for one medication to treat two complications, further research is being done to advance the drug to clinical trials.Even when it’s well managed, diabetes can lead to complications that affect the body’s small blood vessels or microvasculature. Two of the most common microvascular complications are diabetic retinopathy (DR), the leading cause of vision loss…

Researchers have taken a big step forward in the quest to regenerate the pancreatic beta-cells damaged by type 1 diabetes. Using FDA-approved drugs usually given to patients with rare cancers, they reprogrammed pancreatic cells to produce and secrete insulin in response to glucose. The discovery could mean that, one day, diabetics won't need to take multiple daily insulin injections.Pancreatic beta-cells synthesize, store and release insulin. But, in type 1 diabetes (T1D), the immune system selectively destroys these…

Researchers have identified an efficient and cost-effective two-step screening strategy that, compared to the current one-step approach, more accurately identifies which type 2 diabetics need treatment to prevent life-threatening heart failure, even those considered low-risk following only a clinical assessment.Diabetes is a well-established risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD). Compared to people without diabetes, type 2 diabetics have a considerably higher risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality and have…

Researchers have used a high-resolution, non-invasive technique to obtain images of the tiny blood vessels under the skin of diabetics and used an AI algorithm to formulate a ‘score’ that can be used to determine disease severity. Once it’s made portable, the technique could be used to monitor the effectiveness of treatment.Microangiopathy, where the capillary walls become so thick and weak that they bleed, leak protein and slow blood flow, is one of the major complications of diabetes. It can affect many organs of the…

Recent research at the EASD meeting reveals that certain medications, low fasting blood sugar, and cardiovascular conditions significantly increase sudden cardiac arrest risk in type 2 diabetics, underscoring the need for careful management by GPs. Low fasting blood sugar is associated with sudden cardiac arrest (SCA), a leading cause of mortality. Recent findings presented at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes Annual Meeting in Hamburg, Germany, highlight several factors linked to an increased risk of…

Daily finger-prick blood tests are an uncomfortable fact of life for diabetics, but they may not always have to be. Scientists from Canada and the US have now developed a prototype home-use device that measures blood glucose levels via saliva samples.It was already known that concentrations of glucose (and certain other biomarker chemicals) in a person's saliva are proportional to those in their bloodstream. Because glucose levels are much lower in saliva, however, specialized lab-based equipment is required to accurately…

One-third of adults with Type 2 diabetes may unknowingly have cardiovascular disease, as marked by two elevated protein biomarkers, according to a study by Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. The research implies that routine screening of these biomarkers, traditionally used in diagnosing heart issues, could help pinpoint patients at higher risk and thus inform preventive therapies for cardiovascular disease in those with Type 2 diabetes.A new study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association…

Researchers have discovered a plant extract that targets the glucose-regulating regions of the brain that are inflamed in type 2 diabetics, improving blood glucose levels. The findings open the door to a novel, natural treatment for the disease.Type 2 diabetes (T2D) affects how the body uses glucose (sugar) for energy. It’s caused by a combination of ineffective insulin and not enough insulin. T2D is often preventable, especially when risk factors such as weight, exercise and diet are addressed.Early diagnosis of the…

Australian scientists have designed a new capsule that could mean diabetics might one day swallow their insulin instead of injecting it. The design also has potential uses for delivering other protein drugs, such as antibiotics and cancer treatments.Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease where the body’s immune system attacks the insulin-producing beta cells of the pancreas, causing little to no insulin to be secreted. Type 1 diabetics – and some type 2 diabetics – therefore have to inject themselves with insulin…

Type 1 diabetics must constantly control their blood glucose with insulin. It’s a Goldilocks-type situation: administer too much insulin, and they risk low blood glucose (hypoglycemia), while too little can lead to high blood glucose (hyperglycemia). Researchers have developed a self-adjusting nanoparticle-based insulin formulation that may go some way towards improving blood glucose control.Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is an autoimmune disease where the body’s immune system attacks the insulin-producing beta cells of the…