![]() “The HbA1c level is precisely monitored in blood samples from patients who are undergoing treatment for type 2 diabetes. ![]() This improvement in blood sugar is on par with what we’ve seen with new drug candidates that are now the fourth treatment option for type 2 diabetes,” says Jansson, who led the research. “That’s a very distinct improvement in the long-term sugar levels, which we couldn’t have dreamed of after only six weeks of supplementary treatment in patients with well-controlled type 2 diabetes. On average, the level of HbA1c fell by 2.50 mmol/mol. On the other hand, tadalafil caused a clear improvement in metabolic control, based on measurements of haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) in blood samples. In this respect, however, there was no discernible difference compared with the placebo. The primary aim was to investigate whether tadalafil might enhance the patients’ insulin sensitivity. The results of the study, which was conducted in collaboration with Sahlgrenska University Hospital, are published in the journal eClinicalMedicine. Subscribe to Technology Networks’ daily newsletter, delivering breaking science news straight to your inbox every day. Since tadalafil has a number of known side effects (including headache, heartburn, diarrhea, muscle and back pain, low blood pressure, nasal congestion, tinnitus, and blurred vision), they were closely monitored. The study participants thus served as their own controls. After an eight-week break, they were then given the other option for six weeks. ![]() In this randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled study, they were all first assigned by random selection to receive either a high daily dose (20 mg) of the active substance tadalafil or a placebo for six weeks. The study comprised 18 participants, 12 men and 6 postmenopausal women. Unlike the other three PDE5 inhibitors that are approved in Sweden, tadalafil is long-acting and can be prescribed as a daily dose. These medicines are available on prescription only, and must always be prescribed by the attending physician,” says Per-Anders Jansson, professor at Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg. “Self-medication with PDE5 inhibitors must never take place because, at worst, it can be life-threatening in combination with certain other drugs. PDE5 inhibitors are used to treat impotence or erectile dysfunction (ED). Tadalafil is one of the active pharmaceutical substances known as PDE5 (phosphodiesterase type 5) inhibitors, a group that also includes the well-known drug Viagra. The result from the University of Gothenburg pilot study is striking, but repetition in a larger study and over a longer period is needed. A small group of patients with type 2 diabetes significantly improved their long-term blood sugar levels when treated with high-dose tadalafil, a medication used to treat erectile dysfunction.
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