Specialties

A new study confirms that chronic kidney disease (CKD) increases the already-high risk of serious cardiovascular events in diabetic patients with damage to the large blood vessels and suggests that treatment with the anti-diabetic drug pioglitazone may help to lower this risk.

Older patients treated with the diabetes medications known as thiazolidinediones (which include rosiglitazone) had a significantly increased risk of heart attack, congestive heart failure and death, compared with the use of other hypoglycemic drugs, according to a study.

A meta-analysis of 4 randomized controlled trials of the weight-loss drug rimonabant concurs with Food and Drug Administration (FDA) findings of an increased risk for serious adverse psychiatric effects — depressed mood disorders and anxiety — although depressed mood was an exclusion criteria.

Patients with diabetes and low levels of HDL cholesterol, and high levels of homocysteine who have had a mild to moderate ischemic stroke were twice as likely as their counterparts without these conditions to have poorer cognitive function and greater disability after a stroke.

Hemoglobin variability over time in dialysis patients proved a strong predictor of death from any cause, according to a new study.

Pioglitazone (Actos) appeared, at worst, neutral for cardiovascular risk, except heart failure, in yet another meta-analysis examining thiazolidinedione safety.

Although estimates have been adjusted downward in light of the most recent data, researchers still predict sharp increases in the U.S. incidence and prevalence of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) in the years ahead, according to a paper presented at the American Society of Nephrology’s 40th Annual Meeting and Scientific Exposition..

New research results suggest that a hormone therapy, commonly used to treat prostate cancer, called androgen-deprivation therapy may increase the risk of diabetes, particularly in obese men and patients should be made aware of this.

This may be the first product to directly treat gastroparesis by restoring gastrointestinal nitric oxide synthase, thereby increasing stomach motility and improving blood glucose control.

Creatinine screening needed in addition to albuminuria testing.