Once-a-week diabetes meds are similar in safety and effectiveness

(In this Nov 8 story, corrects name of Bydureon in paragraph 10 from Byetta.) By Andrew M. Seaman (Reuters Health) – There’s little difference in the performance of five new once-a-week drugs to treat diabetes when they’re compared to one another, though small differences in side effects emerge, according to a new review of existing evidence. Past studies of the drugs known as glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists – or GLP-1RAs – have found that the medications improve blood sugar control and reduce body weight, but the review’s lead author said no research had compared the various versions head-to-head. “The main message is that today several drugs are available for the control of hyperglycemia in type 2 diabetes, as never before,” said Dr. Francesco Zaccardi, of the Diabetes Research Center at Leicester General Hospital in the U.K., “Therefore, it is even more important to know differences and similarities among drugs.” In type 2 diabetes, the body can’t properly use or make enough of the hormone insulin to convert blood sugar into energy.