May 12, 2018 : Issue #937

• Four New Drugs Waiting for Approval That Can Change the Diabetes Landscape
  • Part 1: Novo Nordisk’s Oral GLP-1 Semaglutide and Opko’s Oxyntomodulin
  • Part 2: Oral insulin ORMD-0801 and Itca-650 Subdermal Osmotic Implant
• Death After Lower Limb Amputation
• Can Patients with Diabetes Take Beta-Blockers? Should They?
• Vitamin D Link to Diabetes Risk
• Which Diabetes Treatment Is Most Effective In Keeping Your Patients Alive?

When new drugs come to market, they are either a better version of an established class, a new delivery method, or a whole new class with a steep learning curve. This week, in our two lead articles, we look at some new compounds and some new delivery systems that could actually revolutionize the care of diabetes for the next 50 years. The great news is that some of them may be here sooner than you think.

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We can make a difference!

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Dave Joffe

Editor-in-chief

Do you refer or provide education for all of your newly diagnosed prediabetes patients? Follow the link to share your response.

Centralize all your medical communication in one beautiful, HIPAA compliant, cloud-based app. It’s so simple, you’ll love it! Communicate directly with patients, teams & colleagues; secure real time messaging & file sharing, and more.

How many new “first-in-class” treatments for diabetes are in the diabetes pipeline as of May 2018?

A. 7
B. 28
C. 56
D. 107
E. 152

Follow the link for the answer.

Taking a couple of bites of dark chocolate might offer a benefit to your sight. In a recent study of 30 participants, researchers found that the flavanols in dark chocolate can sharpen eyesight. Even though the observed change in vision was small, it was significant. There’s been evidence in prior studies that the antioxidant flavanols in dark chocolate might help boost blood flow to the nervous system, boost heart function, and even help preserve the aging brain. To find out, the   researchers had 30 healthy adults, averaging 26 years of age, eat either a 1.5-ounce Trader Joe’s 72 percent Cacao Dark Chocolate bar or a similar-sized Trader Joe’s Crispy Rice Milk Chocolate bar. Labels were removed from each bar so participants didn’t know what type of chocolate they were eating. About two hours later, each participant underwent vision testing using standard letter-based eye charts. The results showed that when compared to people who’d eaten the milk chocolate bar, those who’d snacked on the dark chocolate showed “small enhancements in visual acuity and large-letter contrast” on the vision test, the researchers reported. The study authors suggest that this [improvement] may be a result of increased blood flow to the retina, visual pathways or [the brain’s] cerebral cortex. However, the study authors stressed that it’s too early for ophthalmologists to recommend chocolate as medicine for the eyes.  — April 26 in JAMA Ophthalmology

Two of the four exciting treatment options currently being trialed could change the way the disease is treated long term.

New exciting treatment options currently being trialed could change the way the disease is treated long term.

Study answers questions of risk difference based on demographics.

Medication use may be associated with increased risk of mortality.

New study assesses increased risk of type 2, most beneficial method of raising vitamin D levels.

SGLT-2 inhibitors, GLP-1 agonists, and DPP-4 inhibitors compared in reducing mortality and cardiovascular events in patients with type 2.

Quote of the Week!

“Failure will never overtake me if my determination to succeed is strong enough.”

…Og Mandino

Diabetes in Control gratefully acknowledges the assistance of the following pharmacy doctoral candidates in the preparation of this week’s newsletter:

Vidhi Patel, Pharm. D. Candidate 2018, LECOM College of Pharmacy

Your Friends in Diabetes Care
Steve and Dave
Diabetes In Control
810 Bear Tavern Road Suite 102
Ewing, NJ, 08628
USA
www.diabetesincontrol.com