Insulin News and Research

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Insulin is a hormone that is needed to convert glucose, starches and other food into energy needed for daily life. Insulin allows cells to use glucose for fuel and is secreted by beta cells in the islets of Langerhans. The release of insulin from the pancreas is stimulated by increased blood glucose, vagal nerve stimulation, and other factors. Insulin is obtained from various animals and available in a variety of preparations. Commercial insulin preparations differ in a number of ways, including differences in the animal species from which they are obtained; their purity, concentration, and solubility; and the time of onset and duration of their biologic action. An oral hypoglycemic agent is not a form of insulin therapy.

Study looks at salsalate for type 2 diabetes

The University of Illinois at Chicago is one of 16 sites in the United States taking part in the first large-scale study to test a promising approach to lowering blood glucose levels in adults with type 2 diabetes.

24 Aug 2007

Fat mice gain protection against diabetes

The world's fattest mice can overeat without developing insulin resistance or diabetes thanks to a glut of a key hormone, a dichotomy that helps explain why not all obese people are diabetic, a UT Southwestern Medical Center researcher has found.

24 Aug 2007

New diabetes mellitus clinical practice guidelines

The American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE) has announced the release of its medical guidelines for the diagnosis and management of diabetes mellitus.

24 Aug 2007

Insulin pens may offer diabetics substantial savings

Diabetics who need to switch from oral medications to insulin could reduce their annual healthcare costs up to $17,000 by using an insulin pen instead of a syringe to deliver their daily dose of medication.

22 Aug 2007

Obesity and aversion to exercise could enhance the risk of pancreatic cancer

Obesity and aversion to exercise have become hallmarks of modern society and a new study suggests that a blood protein linked to these lifestyle factors may be an indicator for an increased risk of developing pancreatic cancer.

17 Aug 2007

Sirtuin protein instrumental in fat production and metabolism

A new Joslin Diabetes Center-led study has identified a protein found in fat cells that may play a major role in how fat is produced and stored, offering a new target for treatments to prevent obesity and reduce the risk for type 2 diabetes.

17 Aug 2007

Low levels of key protein may indicate pancreatic cancer risk

A protein that dwindles in response to obesity and a sedentary lifestyle may one day help doctors predict which people are at increased risk for pancreatic cancer, new research by Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and collaborating scientists indicates.

17 Aug 2007

FDA approves updated labeling for Warfarin (Coumadin)

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has announced the approval of updated labeling for the widely used blood-thinning drug, Coumadin, to explain that people's genetic makeup may influence how they respond to the drug.

17 Aug 2007

Red meat and colon cancer recurrence

Colon cancer patients who eat a diet high in red meat, fatty products, refined grains, and desserts a so-called Western diet may be increasing their chance of disease relapse and early death, report researchers at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

16 Aug 2007

Cytokines shown to be a cause of type 2 diabetes

In the first large scale, multiethnic study of its kind, researchers at UCLA have confirmed the role played by three particular molecules known as cytokines as a cause of Type 2 diabetes, and further, have identified these molecules as early biological markers that may be used to more accurately predict future incidences of diabetes among apparently healthy individuals.

16 Aug 2007

Strengthened warnings on some type 2 diabetes drugs

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has announced manufacturers of certain drugs approved to treat Type 2 diabetes have agreed to add a stronger warning on the risk of heart failure, a condition that occurs when the heart does not adequately pump blood.

16 Aug 2007

Diabetes increases risk of death for patients with acute coronary syndromes

Individuals with diabetes and acute coronary syndromes (ACS) such as a heart attack or unstable angina have an increased risk of death at 30 days and one year after ACS, compared with ACS patients without diabetes, according to a study in the August 15 issue of JAMA .

16 Aug 2007

Colon cancer survivors should stick to a 'prudent' diet

A new study has revealed that colon cancer survivors who consume a diet rich in red meat and fatty foods are three times more likely to experience a recurrence of their disease or die from it than those who avoid such foods.

14 Aug 2007

The role of estrogens and polyphenols in hypertension and diabetes

Menopausal women are at relatively high risk for memory loss, high blood pressure (hypertension) and diabetes.

12 Aug 2007

The skeleton is an endocrine organ

Bones are typically thought of as calcified, inert structures, but researchers at Columbia University Medical Center have now identified a surprising and critically important novel function of the skeleton.

11 Aug 2007

New Canadian partnership enhances diabetes education and research

An innovative new partnership between the University Health Network and the University of Toronto's Banting & Best Diabetes Centre will enhance diabetes education, research and patient care and expand the search for a cure.

8 Aug 2007

Health plan interventions control prescription drug expenditures

As national spending on prescription drugs rose faster than any other segment of health care spending, the health plan at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center was able to maintain constant spending, resulting in savings of more than $6.6 million over three years.

8 Aug 2007

Insulin Resistance Syndrome could be key to preventing cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes and Alzheimer's

New and important evidence shows that Insulin Resistance Syndrome can lead to elevated risk for cardiovascular disease, breathing and sleep disorders, liver disease, Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, type 2 diabetes, certain cancers, Alzheimer's Disease and more.

3 Aug 2007

Diabetic ethnic minorities lose out in Britain

Patients from ethnic minorities are not only more likely to suffer from diabetes, but also receive lower quality care from the National Health Service (NHS), claims a paper published in the online open access journal, International Journal for Equity in Health.

3 Aug 2007

Reducing inflammation plays key role in type 1 diabetes therapy

Researchers at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) have found that a triple combination therapy consisting of both tolerance-inducing and anti-inflammatory properties is successful in abolishing adverse autoimmunity against insulin-producing cells in a mouse model of Type 1 diabetes.

1 Aug 2007