Diabetes is a growing serious health problem globally. Statistics show that more than 537 million (53.7 crore) adults aged 20-79 years may have diabetes, that is, almost one in every 10 people is living with diabetes. This number is projected to increase to 643 million by 2030 and 783 million by 2045.
Health experts say that diabetes is not only a serious chronic problem but it can also cause negative effects on many other parts of the body. Doctors say, if your blood sugar level often increases, then due to this the risk of many other diseases in the body increases. Diabetes can have negative effects on the eyes, kidneys, liver, and heart.
To protect against these risks, experts have discovered a special medicine, which can help reduce the complications of diabetes. Researchers say that this medicine can be extremely beneficial for diabetic patients.
Benefits in reducing diabetes complications
Researchers have identified a new inhibitor drug that may help prevent two complications of diabetes - damage to the eyes and kidneys, reports published in the journal Cardiovascular Diabetology suggest. So far, specific benefits of this drug have been seen in research conducted on rats, studies on humans are in the initial stages.
Researchers say, even a little carelessness in managing diabetes can increase the risk of many types of health problems, which affect the small blood vessels or microvasculature of the body. There are indications that this drug may be beneficial in preventing these conditions.
Eye and kidney problems in diabetes
Health experts say two types of microvascular complications are most common in diabetic patients.
Diabetic retinopathy (DR), is the leading cause of vision loss and blindness in diabetic patients.
Diabetic kidney disease (DKD), which can result in kidney failure.
There are treatments available for the symptoms of DR and DKD, doctors say, but there is currently nothing to prevent these complications. In this regard, the medicine discovered by researchers at Bristol University can prevent complications in both eyes and kidneys. Rebecca Foster, senior author of the study, says, the results of the study are quite exciting. We have identified a drug to reduce serious complications in diabetes patients.
Heparanase inhibitor drugs may be beneficial
Experts say, that in kidney and eye problems occurring in diabetic patients, it has been found that the problems occurring in the glomerulus (network of small vessels that filter the blood) in these disorders can be reduced through heparanase inhibitor drugs. Not only can it protect the eyes from damage caused by increased blood sugar, there are also indications that it may be beneficial in reducing kidney problems.
What do researchers say?
The study findings suggest that the use of heparanase inhibitors may be beneficial in reducing the risk of microvascular complications in diabetic patients. Monica Gamez, author of the study, says, we are currently researching to advance the clinical use of this inhibitor drug. If it is successful and shows good results in humans, then great success can be achieved in the treatment of diabetes patients.
(PC: Freepik)
