Research: Popular Diabetes Medications Associated with Increase in Bone...( FRANKLIN LAKES N.J. June 8 /- Researc...),Health

FRANKLIN LAKES, N.J., June 8, /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Research presented at the American Diabetes Association's 69th Scientific Sessions points to increased risk for people with diabetes associated with two widely used drug classes; while another study shed new light on a different class of drugs that faced increased scrutiny from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Researchers from Medco Health Solutions, Inc. (NYSE: MHS) today released the results of a number of studies that will help advance the body of evidence informing the clinical care of diabetes patients.

"Diabetes is one of the greatest clinical challenges impacting the health of our nation," said Dr. Robert S. Epstein, Medco chief medical officer. "Knowing which drugs work for which individuals with diabetes will provide a more personalized approach which can help improve care for people with diabetes and significantly impact the health of Americans, as well as the cost of care for these patients."

Thiazolidinediones Increase Risk of Fracture

A study by researchers from Medco and the University of Texas Health Sciences Center found that patients with type 2 diabetes taking a thiazolidinedione (TZD) to help control their blood sugar experienced a 43 percent higher incidence of bone fracture than type 2 diabetes patients not taking TZDs. TZDs -- a class of drugs used to control blood sugar -- are used by as many as 4 million Americans.

The study examined the effects of pioglitazone (Actos(R)) and rosiglitazone (Avandia(R)), the two drugs that make up the TZD class, and found that both medications equally increase the risk of bone fracture. In addition, the study showed that men, as well as women, are at a higher risk of fracture when taking these drugs. These findings support previous research s
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