Data presented last week at the 52nd Annual
Scientific Session of the American College of Cardiology showed that the Type 2
diabetes treatment rosiglitazone increased "good" cholesterol levels and
improved the ratio of total cholesterol-to-"good" cholesterol in patients with
the Type 2 diabetes, especially among patients at greatest risk for
cardiovascular disease. Cardiovascular disease is one of the most serious
complications of Type 2 diabetes, causing approximately 80 percent of
diabetes-related deaths.
The study, which analyzed data from open-label
extensions of two placebo-controlled, double-blind studies, examined the
long-term effect of rosiglitazone on high-density lipoprotein (HDL cholesterol)
-- also known as "good" cholesterol -- in patients with Type 2 diabetes. HDL
protects against cardiovascular disease by moving cholesterol from the arteries
to the liver, where it is passed from the body. Many patients with Type 2
diabetes also have low HDL cholesterol levels. Recent guidelines from the
National Cholesterol Education Program state that an HDL cholesterol level lower
than 40 mg/dL is a major risk factor for heart disease.
A total of 269 patients in the two studies were
given 8 mg of the diabetes drug rosiglitazone daily for 24 months. In all
patients, mean HDL cholesterol levels increased 15 percent, with increases of 25
percent in patients with HDL cholesterol levels of less than 40 mg/dL at
baseline.
"Previous research has shown that a one percent
increase in HDL cholesterol is associated with a one percent lower risk of
cardiovascular disease," said Ernst J. Schaefer, MD, abstract author and
Director of the Lipid and Heart Disease Prevention Clinic at Tufts-New England
Medical Center's Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, Metabolism and Molecular
Medicine, and Professor of Medicine at Tufts University School of Medicine. "The
data from this research shows the HDL-raising effect of rosiglitazone has the
potential to significantly reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease."
An individual's total cholesterol-to-HDL
cholesterol ratio is a commonly used tool for assessing cardiovascular disease
risk, with a low ratio being associated with a lower risk. The ratio of
cholesterol-to-HDL cholesterol improved for all patients in the study, with an
overall decrease from 5.06 to 4.7 over the 24-month treatment period. In
patients with a ratio greater than 5, the mean ratio decreased from 6.25 to 5.6.
"As cardiovascular disease is the number one
cause of death in diabetes patients, it is important to consider treatment
options, such as rosiglitazone, that can control blood sugar levels by reducing
insulin resistance, and increase HDL cholesterol, which may reduce the risk of
cardiovascular disease," said Schaefer.
Individuals with Type 2 diabetes produce insulin,
but their bodies do not utilize it properly. Rosiglitazone treats Type 2
diabetes by sensitizing the cells in a diabetic's body to the insulin being
produced, enabling the cells to absorb needed nutrients.
Cholesterol is a waxy substance found among the fats in the bloodstream and in the body's cells. In high levels, HDL cholesterol protects against cardiovascular disease by slowing arterial build-up.
Funding for the study and media relations
assistance was provided by GlaxoSmithKline
Source: Diabetes In Control Dot Com.
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