A 2018 study revealed that nearly 10.8% of the American population has diabetes. Sedentary lifestyle and food habits are major reasons for this steep rise in the percentage of people affected by diabetes. While some receive prescribed medication, the others need daily insulin shots to maintain the blood sugar level. Despite being extremely effective, most people hesitate to start insulin simply because the idea of daily injections turns one off.
So, researchers have come up with a new weekly insulin called Icodec that is as effective as the daily insulin Glargine. This way, scientists feel that patients with type 2 diabetes will be more ready to start insulin therapy to control diabetes.
Icodec Vs Glargine Insulin
A phase 2 trial was conducted with 250 patients where half of them were given daily shots of Glargine and the other half were given weekly shots of Icodec. At the end of this six-month trial, the effect of both these therapies was found to be almost the same. Both could reduce the A1c test level by 1 - 1.5%.
The long-acting basal insulin Icodec is a product of the company Novo Nordisk and can be administered for both type 1 (a condition where a person’s immune system attacks the insulin-producing cells) and type 2 diabetes (a condition when insulin is insufficient). The phase 3 trial is yet to be conducted and if everything goes well, this would be a revolutionary invention for people with diabetes.
Conditions of Hypoglycemia Due to Insulin
While high blood sugar level is fatal, low blood sugar is equally dangerous. Referred to as hypoglycemia, it can cause dizziness and nervous breakdown. So it is always necessary to regularly monitor those with fluctuating sugar levels. Whatever be the type of insulin therapy, it is important to balance the dosage so that it keeps your sugar level in the healthy range; neither too high nor too low.
