Daily diabetes injection on offer

Tuesday 7th July 2009

The two million people in the UK with type 2 diabetes will now be able to get a once-a-day injection to help manage the condition, it has been announced.

Victoza, also called liraglutide, is safe to be taken at any time of day and in combination with other drugs, as directed by a doctor. It is known to help the body release insulin when blood sugar levels become too high.

Type 2 diabetes often affects people who are overweight or obese, and there are an estimated 500,000 more people in the country who have type 2 but do not know it.

To this end, the drug also helps people lose weight by producing a "full" feeling, which reduces the impulse to eat, while also slowing the rate at which the stomach empties.

And it also lowers blood pressure, which reduces the higher risk of heart disease faced by sufferers.

Cathy Moulton, care advisor at Diabetes UK, said: "Liraglutide widens the choice of treatments for people with type 2 diabetes that not only offer improved blood glucose control but also aid weight loss."

Anthony Barnett, clinical director of diabetes and endocrinology at the Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust in Birmingham, said the drug was an important step forward for patients with type 2 diabetes.

Copyright © Press Association 2009

Diabetes UK