   
New Device Measures Long-Term ControlModern technology has made it very easy for people to measure
their blood glucose in a matter of minutes. However, if people
want an accurate picture of how well their are controlling their
blood sugars in the long run, they must measure their HbA1c
levels. A new device makes it almost as easy to do that as to
measure glucose. The device is called the Digital Response HbA1c Patient Monitor, and is being marketed by Metrika Inc. It is about the size of a pager, and can allow doctors to perform a test that could previously only be done in a lab. The test requires a single drop of blood, and HbA1c levels will be assessed in just eight minutes. Metrika hopes to gain FDA approval later this year to make the device available by physician prescription for at-home testing by people with diabetes.
FDA Approves Diabetes Combo DrugSometimes the best way to solve a problem is to work with what you already have. Pharmaceutical company Bristol-Myers is hoping that their new drug, created by combining two already-existing drugs, will effectively treat Type 2 diabetes. The drug is called Glucovance, and is a combination of Bristol-Meyers' Glucophage (metformain) and Pharmaia and Upjohn's Micronase (glyburide). Glucophage works by by reducing excess glucose production by the liver into the blood. Glyburide works by helping the pancreas produce more insulin. The new combination drug, created out of two widely used medications, has recently been approved by the FDA to treat Type 2 diabetes. Approval of the drug combo is financially important for Bristol-Myers because their patent for Glucophage will expire later this year, while the new patent on the combo may help their bottom line. In trials of Glucovance, participants responded well. Common side-effects included diarrhea, nausea, and upset stomach. Though occurrences were more rare, some people did experience hypoglycemia or lactic acidosis.
Do-It-Yourself DialysisOne of the major complications of diabetes is kidney damage. While this condition is fairly easy to detect early on and prevent, the disease sometimes progresses to the point where the kidneys are no longer functioning properly and cannot filter the blood. Diabetes is still the most common reason for dialysis and many with diabetes are dependent on it, using a machine to filter the blood in place of the non-functioning kidneys. A new device now makes it possible for people to do their dialysis at home, rather than having the inconvenience of visiting a dialysis center several times a week.. The device, called the Personal Hemodialysis System, is now being tested by the manufacturing company Aksys. The device allows people to complete their daily dialysis in two or three hours in the comfort of their own home. Another benefit is that the device is self-cleaning. The dialyzer, which moves the blood through the machine, and the lines need only be replaced once every thirty days. Clinical trials of the device have been successful thus far, but are expected to continue a little longer before the device is introduced on the market. If successful, another benefit of the convenience may be a longer life for those undergoing dialysis. Lifespan has been linked in several studies to both the quality of the dialysis process itself, and to how frequently dialysis is done each week.
New Use For Viagra In GastroparesisViagra has become the most widely-known and commonly-prescribed drug for treating erectile dysfunction and impotence. However, those pills may have a brand-new use-- treating indigestion. Many people with diabetes are well-aware of the condition known as gastroparesis. The condition occurs when the muscles in the stomach will not relax and allow food to pass through to the intestines. The result is bloating, loss of appetite, and even vomiting and dehydration. This also interferes with the use of insulin and medications in diabetes because the digestive process is irregular and unpredictable. A new study on the subject was conducted by researchers at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore, and is published in the August issue of the Journal of Clinical Investigation. The researchers' work with mice with diabetes suggested that the reason for the gastroparesis was a lack of nitric oxide. This deficiency is also common in men with erectile dysfunction. Treating mice with Viagra appeared to help the pyloric muscle in the stomach to relax, leading to better digestion. The drug was also fast-acting, as compared with insulin. While doses of insulin also appeared to help alleviate gastroparesis in the mice, it took much longer to act than the Viagra. The next step will be to conduct the study with human participants in order to determine the effectiveness in using Viagra to treat indigestion. Another approach suggested by the research would be the use of nitric oxide precursors like arginine, a common amino acid found in proteins and health food stores, to increase nitric oxide levels.
Wining While Dining May Help Your HeartSeveral studies over the past few years have shown that occasionally drinking wine with dinner may have health benefits. A new study suggests that this theory is applicable to people with diabetes as well. Researchers at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston recently published their results in the July 31 issue of Circulation. Their study spanned 12 years, and included 983 people with diabetes. Researchers found that those who had one or two drinks per day were up to 80 percent less likely to die of heart disease than those who did not drink. Also, those who drank more than half an alcoholic drink per day cut their risk for heart disease in half, as compared with those who drank rarely or not at all. This phenomenon may be explained by the theory that alcohol increases the amount of HDL in the blood stream. This "good" form of cholesterol helps keep blood vessels clear, and may also help regulate blood sugar.
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