Drug Combo Could Reduce Mortality Risk with Type 2 Diabetes

Treating patients with type 2 diabetes with insulin plus metformin reduces risk of death and major cardiac events compared with those treated only with insulin, according to the results of a recent study.

The researchers conducted a retrospective analysis involving 12,020 individuals with type 2 diabetes treated with with insulin with or without metformin for an average of 3.5 years follow-up, beginning when the individual was first prescribed insulin.
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Overall, they found that the combination of insulin and metformin significantly reduced the risk of mortality and heart attacks compared to insulin alone.

"In this research we examined insulin dose along with the impact of combining insulin with metformin. We found that there was a considerable reduction in deaths and heart problems when this cheap and common drug was used in conjunction with insulin,” said lead author Craig Currie, of Cadiff University’s School of Medicine.

"While this research indicates the potential of using these treatments together, further studies are needed to determine the risks and benefits of insulin in type 2 diabetes and the possible benefits associated with the administration of metformin alongside insulin."

—Michael Potts

Reference:

Cadiff University. Drug combination could help reduce risk of death in type 2 diabetes [press release]. May 5, 2016. http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-05/cu-dcc050316.php.

Currie C. Association between insulin monotherapy versus insulin plus metformin and the risk of all-cause mortality and other serious outcomes: a retrospective cohort study [published online May 5, 2016]. PLOS ONE.