DOC News November 1, 2006
Volume 3 Number 11 p. 20
© 2006 American Diabetes Association
Oral Drugs Reduce Diabetes Risk
Adhering to a regimen of metformin therapy can reduce the risk of
developing type 2 diabetes, according to Diabetes Prevention Program
researchers.
A group of investigators evaluated strategies for medication adherence,
barriers to adherence, and the predictors of adherence in 2,155 adults with
impaired glucose tolerance treated at 27 clinical centers in the U.S.
Participants were randomized to receive metformin or placebo.
Researchers found that older patients were more likely to follow drug
therapy than younger patients. Other common barriers to adherence were
forgetting to take medication, adverse side effects, and the disruption of
daily routine. Adherence dropped as participants reported more barriers.
Participants who adhered to metformin therapy had a 38.2% reduction in the
risk of developing diabetes, the group reports.
"Our finding that adherence was associated with risk reduction for
diabetes supports the development of brief interventions in clinical settings
where medication adherence is a challenge," they conclude.
Walker EA, Molitch M, Kramer MK, et al.: Adherence to
preventive medications: Predictors and outcomes in the Diabetes Prevention
Program. Diabetes Care 29:1997–2002, 2006[Abstract/Free Full Text]
.
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