Novartis AG’s blood-pressure drug Diovan has been found to slightly lower the incidence of diabetes in certain high-risk patients, while its other drug has not proved successful in doing so.  However, neither of these drugs helped reduce the risk of heart attacks and related disease in these patients.
 
These findings highlight the difficulty in stemming the increase in the incidence of diabetes, including keeping warding off heart attacks.  The study tested whether Novartis’ drugs were effective in preventing diabetes and heart attacks in people with impaired glucose tolerance.
 
While, Diovan has been found to reduce the risk of diabetes by 14%, the benefit is mitigated, as it does not reduce the risk of heart disease and related events.
 
The prevention of diabetes remains a critical public health priority, however, it is better to steer away from these two drugs, using effective lifestyle interventions, instead.
 
Starlix, the other drug tested in the study for treating diabetes is available in its generic form.
 
According to researchers, people with impaired glucose tolerance are at higher risk for type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.  Previous studies have proven the risk of diabetes is lowered by exercising, weight loss and drugs, such as, metformin.
 
Diovan was found to prevent 38 cases of diabetes per 1,000 patients treated for five years, while 36% of Starlix users developed diabetes, with Starlix found to increase the risk of high blood sugar.
 
Leading researchers believe Starlix might slow progression to diabetes, as it works by minimising spikes in blood sugar after meals by stimulating the pancreas to produce more insulin, hopefully restoring a more normal insulin response.