Mar 14, 2014 – Diabetes Med

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Health Newsfeed for Friday, March 14, 2014

ANCHOR LEAD: THE FDA HAS APPROVED A ONCE A WEEK FORMULATION OF A DIABETES DRUG, ELIZABETH TRACEY REPORTS

As the number of medications someone must take increases, so does confusion, and often, noncompliance. Now some people who take multiple medications for diabetes may find the regimen simplified with a new once a week injection medication just approved by the FDA.  Rita Kalyani, a diabetes expert at Johns Hopkins, explains.

KALYANI: Buydureon is a GLP1 agonist, it’s a medication that’s injectable, it’s not an insulin, it’s not a pill.  It might be prescribed for patients who might be on one or two pills already without adequate control of their glucose who may be reluctant to go on insulin for whom mild to moderate glucose lowering is needed or for whom weight loss is of particular priority.  These medications are associated with some weight loss as well.  :28

Kalyani says each person must evaluate whether this medication and injection method are suitable.  At Johns Hopkins, I’m Elizabeth Tracey.