Combination Therapy for Type 2 Diabetes Could Reduce Death, Major Cardiac Events

A recent study found that patients with type 2 diabetes treated with metformin and insulin have a reduced risk for death and major cardiac events compared with patients treated with insulin alone.

In the retrospective study published by PLOS One, researchers included 12,020 patients and tracked them for an average of 3.5 years from the start of their insulin prescription.

"In this research we examined insulin dose along with the impact of combining insulin with metformin,” said researcher Craig Currie, BSc, PhD. “We found that there was a considerable reduction in deaths and heart problems when this cheap and common drug was used in conjunction with insulin.”

In addition, researchers also found there was no observed difference in cancer risk between patients taking insulin alone or combined with metformin.

"While this research indicates the potential of using these treatments together, further studies are needed to determine the risks and benefits of insulin in type 2 diabetes and the possible benefits associated with the administration of metformin alongside insulin," Dr Currie concluded.