Study: Early insulin use for Type II diabetics is safe for patients

Type 2 diabetics have traditionally resisted taking insulin until the last possible minute, figuring that they'd end up with low blood sugar, weight gain or a worse quality of gain. Doctors have been afraid to prescribe it because they're reluctant to consign their patients to a lifelong regimen of what might be difficult treatment.

However, a new study suggests that such fears are not well-grounded. The study, which was conducted by researchers at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, actually suggest that doctors introduce insulin as a first line of defense, rather than a last-resort for patients who aren't doing well. Their data shows that patients who received insulin right out of the gate did just as well, if not better, than those who didn't receive the drug.

The study, to be published in the journal Diabetes Care, finds that patients who take insulin, plus metformin, have fewer low-blood-sugar--or hypoglycemic--events, and actually gain less weight than those without who don't take that combination.

To learn more about this study:
- read this UPI piece

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