Drug that could prevent people developing diabetes

Type 2 diabetes is a debilitating disease in which the body doesn’t produce enough insulin or doesn’t use insulin well. It develops in people over forty and obese people are at huge risk of developing the disease. People who cannot regulate the use of glucose are also at high risk of type 2 diabetes.
Type 2 diabetes can be prevented or delayed by adopting healthy life-styles, exercising and managing their weight.

Scientists have found that a drug called rosiglitazone, also known by the brand name Avandia, which is used for reducing the amount of sugar (glucose) in the blood, could be used to together with life-style changes to prevent type 2 diabetes.

In a trial called Dream, the effects of the drug were investigated on 5,269 high-risk adults who were taking either rosiglitazone or a dummy placebo. In three years time, 280 individuals taking the drug and 658 on the placebo developed diabetes. The rosiglitazone group also had a few cases of non-fatal heart failure.

The figures show that adding rosiglitazone to basic lifestyle changes cut the risk of developing diabetes by about two-thirds.