DIABETES GROUPS RECOMMEND GLUCOPHAGE AT DIAGNOSIS

According to the recommendation of a new consensus statement from the European Association for the Study of Diabetes and the American Diabetes Association, newly diagnosed patients with diabetes should be treated with Merck KgaA's Glucophage (metformin) in conjunction with lifestyle modification unless the drug is contraindicated, according to the German drugmaker. Initiation of metformin should no longer be delayed until lifestyle modification (weight loss and increased activity) fails to adequately control glycemia.

Traditionally, guidelines have recommended lifestyle modification as the first step in intervention to reduce glycemia. Now, however, the associations have recognized that lifestyle modification alone often fails to achieve or maintain metabolic goals. Therefore, most patients will also require treatment with Glucophage.

Glucophage is recommended because it has demonstrated a low incidence of side effects and a high level of acceptance by patients, and it has a relatively low cost.

Additionally, the United Kingdom Prospective Diabetes Study (UKPDS) demonstrated that the drug significantly reduced the risk of fatal and non-fatal cardiovascular events in patients with Type 2 diabetes. The study showed a 36 percent reduction in all-cause mortality, a 42 percent reduction in diabetes-related mortality and a 32 percent reduction in diabetes-related endpoints.