A drug widely prescribed to treat type 2 diabetes could help us all live longer, a study says.
Research suggests metformin, which controls glucose levels, may also stave off cardiovascular disease and cancer – whether someone has diabetes or not.
Scientists who studied more than 180,000 people found a ‘small but statistically significant improvement in survival’ in those taking metformin, compared with those given older anti-diabetic drugs and a group without diabetes.
Scientists who studied more than 180,000 people found a ‘small but statistically significant improvement in survival’ in those taking metformin - a drug (above) used to control glucose levels and treat type 2 diabetes
However, experts said the five-and-a-half year follow-up period was relatively short, considering the complications of diabetes get worse over time and are linked with a shorter lifespan.
Lead author Professor Craig Currie, from Cardiff University’s School of Medicine, said further research into the effects of metformin on healthy people was merited, particularly as it had negligible side effects. The drug costs a little over 10p a day for the highest prescribed dose.
He said: ‘Patients treated with metformin had a small but statistically significant improvement in survival compared with non-diabetics, whereas those treated with sulphonylureas had a consistently reduced survival compared with non-diabetic patients.
'Surprisingly, the findings indicate that this cheap and widely prescribed diabetic drug may have beneficial effects not only on patients with diabetes but also for people without.
‘Metformin has been shown to have anti-cancer and anti-cardiovascular disease benefits. It can also reduce pre-diabetics’ chances of developing the disease by a third.’
But he said patients with type 2 diabetes would eventually see their health deteriorate, regardless of what drug they took.
‘People lose on average around eight years from their life expectancy after developing diabetes. The best way to avoid the condition altogether is by keeping moderately lean and taking some regular light exercise,’ he added.
Data used in the study came from the UK Clinical Practice Research Datalink, from which researchers identified 78,241 patients prescribed metformin as a first-line therapy and 12,222 patients prescribed a sulphonylurea as a first-line therapy.
These were then each matched against a non-diabetic patient using criteria that included age, gender, smoking status and clinical status, and their life expectancy compared.
Effective glucose control in diabetics is important in reducing the risk of complications such as strokes or coronary artery disease, and metformin is recommended as the first line of therapy for type 2 diabetes
The findings were published in the journal Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism. They show that average survival time was 15 per cent lower in healthy people compared with diabetics on metformin, and 38 per cent lower in diabetic patients on older drugs.
Effective glucose control in diabetics is important in reducing the risk of complications such as stroke or coronary artery disease, and metformin is recommended as first line therapy for type 2 diabetes. Sulphonylureas are prescribed if metformin is not suitable, but can have side effects.
Kevin McConway, professor of applied statistics at the Open University, said the apparent difference in survival between diabetics on metformin and healthy people in the study was relatively small and might be due to other factors – such as diabetics being likely to get better monitoring and treatment for heart-related problems, with potentially better outcomes in the short-term.
Previous US research found changing to a healthier lifestyle was twice as effective as metformin in staving off diabetes.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2719491/Diabetes-drug-help-live-longer-Doctors-say-stave-cancer.html#ixzz39lKpeeie
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