JEDDAH, 31 March 2004 — The Ministry of Health has approved a new medication for type 2 diabetes patients. Avandamet is the first and only medication that directly targets insulin resistance — the underlying cause of type 2 diabetes — while reducing the amount of sugar produced by the liver. GlaxoSmithKline, the company producing Avandamet, organized seminars in Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam to introduce the medication.
Avandamet is used along with diet and exercise to treat type 2 diabetes. People with type 2 diabetes do not produce sufficient insulin or respond normally to the insulin made by their bodies. As a result, sugar — glucose — builds up in the blood. This can lead to serious medical conditions including kidney problems, amputations and blindness. Diabetes is also closely linked to heart disease. The main goal of treating diabetes is to lower blood sugar to normal levels.
Avandamet combines two sugar lowering medicines in one tablet. The medicines work together to help control blood sugar. Unlike some type 2 diabetes medications, Avandamet does not cause the pancreas to produce more insulin. Instead, its components reduce the amount of sugar in the blood by making the cells more sensitive to the insulin the body produces and by reducing the amount of sugar produced by the liver. With the cells of the body more sensitive to insulin, more sugar can pass from the bloodstream into the cells. This can mean long-lasting improvement in blood sugar control.
Before taking Avandamet, the patient should attempt to control diabetes by diet and exercise along with prescribed medications. In order for Avandamet to be most effective, the patient should continue to exercise and follow the diet recommended. There is a small risk of low blood sugar — hypoglycemia — with Avandamet.
Those with kidney problems should not take Avandamet. As with any medication, patients should consult their doctors before taking Avandamet.
