insulin--isophane and Cardiovascular-Diseases

Patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) have an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Unfortunately, several potential barriers exist for CVD risk management in diabetes, including the need for significant lifestyle changes, potential problems with hypoglycemia, weight gain, injection tolerability, treatment complexity with current diabetes therapies and other, unmodifiable factors. Improving glycemic control may impact CVD risk. Treatment of T2DM usually starts with lifestyle changes such as diet and exercise. When these become insufficient, pharmacotherapy is required. Various oral antidiabetic drugs (OADs) are available that reduce hyperglycemia. The first line of therapy is usually metformin, since it does not increase weight and seems to have a beneficial effect on CVD mortality and risk factors. As T2DM progresses, insulin treatment becomes necessary for the majority of patients. The last few years have seen the development of long-acting, rapid-acting, and premixed insulin analog formulations. The treat-to-target algorithms of recent studies combining OADs plus insulin analogs have demonstrated that patients can reach glycemic treatment targets with low risk of hypoglycemia, greater convenience, and--with some analogs--limited weight gain vs conventional insulins. These factors may possibly have a positive influence on CVD risk. Future studies will hopefully elucidate the benefits of this approach.

Topics: C-Reactive Protein; Cardiovascular Diseases; Diabetic Angiopathies; Drug Therapy, Combination; Glycated Hemoglobin; Humans; Hypoglycemic Agents; Insulin; Insulin Glargine; Insulin, Isophane; Insulin, Long-Acting; Metformin; Postprandial Period; Risk Assessment; Risk Factors; Thiazolidinediones

To ensure patient safety when replacing insulin glargine (IG) with neutral protamine Hagedorn (NPH) insulin and to determine differences in blood glucose control, frequency of hypoglycemia, insulin dosing, health resource utilization and quality of life between users of IG and NPH insulin.. A single-site, open-label, randomized, 6-month comparative study of 66 patients from the Action to Control Cardiovascular Risk in Diabetes (ACCORD) trial. Randomization was 1:1 to receive IG or NPH insulin. Data regarding blood glucose control, insulin dosage adjustment and recording of hypoglycemia episodes were obtained through telephone calls; office visits were conducted to measure weight, glycated hemoglobin, fasting plasma glucose and blood glucose profile. The Diabetes Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire (DTSQ) was used to measure patients' satisfaction with their diabetes treatment.. Rates of symptomatic hypoglycemia did not differ significantly between groups: 37.5±2.2 for the IG group and 31.1±2.1 for the NPH group. However, patients treated with NPH insulin had higher frequencies of severe hypoglycemia (6.1±0.9) compared with 2.7±0.6 for the IG group. A significant difference in changes in glycated hemoglobin (A1C) was observed between the groups: the mean ± standard error A1C decreases from baseline were -0.34%±0.11 for the IG group, vs -0.01%±0.10 for the NPH insulin group. The data obtained from the DTSQ showed greater treatment satisfaction in the IG group compared with the NPH insulin group.. Switching from IG to NPH insulin resulted in more than double the rate of severe hypoglycemias and led to decreased metabolic control. Greater treatment satisfaction was observed with IG, compared with NPH insulin, as measured by change from baseline in the DTSQ scores.

Topics: Blood Glucose; Cardiovascular Diseases; Diabetes Mellitus; Drug Substitution; Female; Humans; Hypoglycemia; Hypoglycemic Agents; Insulin Glargine; Insulin, Isophane; Male; Patient Satisfaction; Risk Factors; Treatment Outcome

Topics: Angiotensin Receptor Antagonists; Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors; Antihypertensive Agents; Aspirin; Behavior Therapy; Cardiovascular Diseases; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2; Diabetic Angiopathies; Dietary Carbohydrates; Dietary Fats; Exercise; Humans; Insulin, Isophane; Losartan; Risk Factors; Smoking Cessation

Insulin therapy in type 2 diabetes may increase mortality and cancer incidence, but the impact of different types of basal insulins on these endpoints is unclear. Compared to the traditional NPH insulin, the newer, longer-acting insulin analogues detemir and glargine have shown benefits in randomized controlled trials. Whether these advantages translate into lower mortality among users in real life is unknown.. To estimate the differences in all-cause and cause-specific mortality rates between new users of basal insulins in a population-based study in Finland.. 23 751 individuals aged ≥40 with type 2 diabetes, who initiated basal insulin therapy in 2006-2009 were identified from national registers, with comprehensive data for mortality, causes of death, and background variables. Propensity score matching was performed on characteristics. Follow-up time was up to 4 years (median 1.7 years).. 2078 deaths incurred. With NPH as reference, the adjusted HRs for all-cause mortality were 0.39 (95% CI, 0.30-0.50) for detemir, and 0.55 (95% CI, 0.44-0.69) for glargine. As compared to glargine, the HR was 0.71 (95% CI, 0.54-0.93) among detemir users. Compared to NPH, the mortality risk for both cardiovascular causes as well as cancer were also significantly lower for glargine, and especially for detemir in adjusted analysis. Furthermore, the results were robust in various sensitivity analyses.. In real clinical practice, mortality was substantially higher among users of NPH insulin as compared to insulins detemir or glargine. Considering the large number of patients who require insulin therapy, this difference in risk may have major clinical and public health implications. Due to limitations of the observational study design, further investigation using an interventional study design is warranted.

Topics: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Cardiovascular Diseases; Cause of Death; Cohort Studies; Databases, Factual; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2; Female; Finland; Gastrointestinal Diseases; Humans; Hypoglycemic Agents; Insulin Glargine; Insulin, Isophane; Insulin, Long-Acting; Male; Middle Aged; Neoplasms; Risk

The OnceMix and INITIATE studies have indicated that biphasic insulin aspart 30 (BIAsp 30) is more effective than insulin glargine (IGlarg), in terms of glycohemoglobin reductions, in patients with type 2 diabetes initiating insulin therapy. The cost-effectiveness of BIAsp 30 versus IGlarg in the Chinese setting is estimated here.. The validated and peer-reviewed CORE Diabetes Model was used. The nephropathy, retinopathy, and stroke submodels were modified to incorporate available Chinese clinical data. Diabetes complication costs were derived from hospital surveys in Beijing and Chengdu. Simulated cohorts and insulin treatment effects were based on the OnceMix study for once-daily BIAsp 30 versus IGlarg and on the INITIATE study for twice-daily BIAsp 30 versus IGlarg. Life expectancy and direct medical costs were calculated. Projections were made over 30-year time horizons, with costs and life years discounted at 3% annually. Extensive sensitivity analyses were performed, including adjustments to cardiovascular risk for Chinese ethnicity.. Once-daily BIAsp 30 increased life expectancy by 0.04 years (12.37 vs. 12.33 years) and reduced direct medical costs by Chinese Yuan (CNY) 59,710 per patient (CNY 229,911 vs. CNY 289,621 per patient) compared with IGlarg in the OnceMix-based analysis. Twice-daily BIAsp 30 increased life expectancy by 0.08 years (12.99 vs. 12.91 years) and reduced direct medical costs by CNY 107,349 per patient (CNY 303,142 vs. CNY 410,491 per patient) compared with IGlarg in the INITIATE-based analysis. Improvements in life expectancy were driven by reduced incidences of most diabetes-related complications. Cost savings were attributable to lower lifetime insulin costs for BIAsp 30 compared with IGlarg in China. Lowered cardiovascular risk for Chinese ethnicity reduced the projected clinical improvements for BIAsp 30 but increased treatment-related lifetime cost savings.. BIAsp 30, either once- or twice-daily, improved projected life expectancy and reduced projected costs compared with IGlarg in the Chinese setting.

Topics: Asian People; Biphasic Insulins; Cardiovascular Diseases; China; Computer Simulation; Cost-Benefit Analysis; Diabetes Complications; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2; Drug Costs; Female; Health Care Costs; Humans; Hypoglycemic Agents; Insulin; Insulin Aspart; Insulin Glargine; Insulin, Isophane; Insulin, Long-Acting; Male; Middle Aged; Models, Econometric; Quality-Adjusted Life Years; Risk

The aim of this study was to compare incidence rates of heart failure, stroke, and acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in Type 2 diabetic patients using different types of insulin.. Included were patients with a diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes and at least one insulin prescription from May 2001 to July 2007. Incidence rate ratios (RRs) of heart failure, stroke, and AMI were estimated using Poisson regression with adjustment for age, gender, history of hypertension, dyslipidemia history, days supply, and duration of diabetes.. Incidence rates of heart failure, stroke, and AMI in the insulin glargine group were 306.9 (95%CI: [278.9, 334.8]), 174.8 (95%CI: [153.7, 195.8]), and 105.2 (95%CI: [88.9, 121.5]) cases per 10,000 person-years, respectively. After adjustment for covariates, the incidence rates of CVD events in the insulin glargine were comparable to those in the other long/intermediate acting insulin group (reference), except for AMI, which tended to be lower in the insulin glargine group (RR = 0.81, 95%CI: [0.65, 1.02]). Using the same reference, the incidence rate of stroke was higher in patients taking rapid/short acting insulin, premixed insulin, or mixed use of insulin except insulin glargine (RR = 1.20, 95%CI: [1.04, 1.40]).. This study suggested that insulin glargine use might be associated with a lower risk of AMI, compared to the other long/intermediate acting insulin use, and that insulin regimen of rapid/short acting insulin, premixed insulin, or mixed use of insulin except insulin glargine was associated with a higher risk of stroke using the same reference.

Topics: Acute Disease; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Cardiovascular Diseases; Cohort Studies; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2; Female; Heart Failure; Humans; Hypoglycemic Agents; Incidence; Insulin; Insulin Glargine; Insulin, Isophane; Insulin, Long-Acting; Male; Middle Aged; Myocardial Infarction; Retrospective Studies; Stroke

Long-term studies involving large number of type 2 diabetic patients supplied evidence that constant adequate metabolic control may prevent the late (micro- and macrovascular) diabetic complications. In the present non-interventional, retrospective study, authors performed an analysis of type 2 diabetic patients who had been previously treated with biphasic human insulin (BHI) and their therapy was changed to biphasic analog insulin aspart 30/70 (BIAsp = NovoMix 30). The switch of the insulin therapy was carried out in years 2007 and 2008 with the cooperation of 50 accredited diabetes centers. Data were obtained at the time of therapeutical change and six months later. The number of suitable patients was 2898 with an age of 66.20 +/- 10.10 year, and the duration of diabetes was >10 years in 43% of the patients. After the six-month therapy with NovoMix 30, the mean HbA 1c level decreased statistically significantly from the initial value of 9.10 +/- 1.44% to 7.62 +/- 1.00% ( p < 0.001). The lipid profile also improved although target values were not always attained. A reduction was also observed in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Mean body weight decreased from 84.2 +/- 14.9 kg to 82.6 +/- 13.9 kg ( p < 0.01). All these changes occurred in spite of a significantly reduced daily insulin dose (48.4 +/- 17.6 IU) as compared with the initial value (49.0 +/- 17.4 IU, p < 0.001). A marked decrement was also observed in the frequency of hypoglycemic reactions. These results confirm that treatment with NovoMix 30 insulin leads to a significant amelioration of glycemic control as reflected by the decreased level of HbA 1c and the higher proportion of patients attaining the target value, as well as the lower frequency of hypoglycemic episodes. The significant improvements in cardiovascular risk factors are also important, but the explanation is still missing and would require the accomplishment of prospective, controlled studies.

Topics: Adult; Aged; Biphasic Insulins; Blood Glucose; Blood Pressure; Body Weight; Cardiovascular Diseases; Diabetes Complications; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Drug Administration Schedule; Drug Combinations; Female; Glycated Hemoglobin; Humans; Hungary; Hypoglycemia; Hypoglycemic Agents; Insulin; Insulin Aspart; Insulin, Isophane; Male; Middle Aged; Retrospective Studies; Risk Factors; Time Factors; Weight Gain