A study from Duke University Medical Center and the Oxford University claims that treatment with the anti – hypertensive drug valsartan (Diovan) supposedly resulted in a modest decline in the progress of type 2 diabetes but did not considerably decrease cardiovascular events in patients with damaged glucose tolerance.
The study apparently wanted to find out means to control the development of diabetes and cardiovascular disease in people at threat. Moreover, the study appeared to display that the blood sugar lowering drug nateglinide (Starlix), used to treat diabetes, turned out to be unproductive in stopping progression to diabetes, and seemed to encompass no considerable impact on decreasing cardiovascular events.
“This is a sobering confirmation of the need to continue to focus on lifestyle improvements while also accelerating the efforts to develop new treatments for the exploding epidemics of diabetes and cardiovascular disease around the world,†commented, Robert M. Califf, MD, Vice Chancellor for Clinical Research at Duke University School of Medicine, and Director of the Duke Translational Medicine Institute.
Califf presented the findings of the NAVIGATOR trial with Rury Holman, MD, Professor of Diabetic Medicine and Director of the Diabetes Trials Unit, Oxford.
The NAVIGATOR trial was planned to find out whether known treatments for diabetes and blood pressure may also avert the beginning of diabetes and cardiovascular events in patients aged 50 or more who apparently had damaged glucose tolerance and cardiovascular threat issues or cardiovascular disease.
The experts evaluated data from over 9,300 patients at 806 centers in around 40 countries who were randomized to the two study drugs or placebo. All subjects were apparently given a lifestyle modification program targeted in decreasing body weight and nutritional fat consumption while boosting physical activity.
Post five years of follow-up, the scientists discovered that nateglinide, an insulin secretion enhancer, did not appear to decrease the occurrence of diabetes. The disease apparently was seen in roughly 36 percent in the nateglinide group and around 34 percent in the placebo group. Moreover, nateglinide also did not appear to have any considerable effect on cardiovascular results. The angiotensin receptor blocker valsartan presumably encompassed a moderate effect on diabetes progression, with a 14 percent relative risk reduction, but apparently no major effect on cardiovascular outcomes.
Califf and Holman are of the opinion that administration of the oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) devoid of the study drug apparently developed troubles in deducing the diabetes outcome for nateglinide.
The scientists believe that the trial may corroborate the elevated risk of diabetes in the population studied, and seems to strengthen the requirement to apply the identified advantages of lifestyle alteration and to carry on the hunt for effective and safe medications.
The study is published in the New England Journal of Medicine.