Premixed Insulin May Offer Better Blood Sugar Control

Premixed insulin, which combines short-and long-acting versions of the hormone, results in better blood-sugar control as compared with long-acting insulin alone or oral medications, a new study finds.

But it's not clear that this tighter glycemic control translates into fewer complications and a lower mortality rate among people suffering from type 2 diabetes, researchers add.

And two types of premixed insulin - premixed human insulin and premixed insulin analogues (genetically engineered human insulin) - appeared to produce the same benefit.

Various premixed products are already on the market, but the results described in a study in the Sept. 16 issue of Annals of Internal Medicine may help better determine which product benefits which patient.

More than a quarter of patients with type 2 diabetes use insulin alone (16 per cent) or insulin combined with an oral medication (12 per cent) to help them control their blood-glucose levels.

Read the full article at cbc.ca