Blood pressure drug brings down blood glucose levels in diabetes, study reports

[DCUK NewsBot]

The blood pressure drug verapamil could lower blood glucose levels in people with diabetes, according to new research. The study, published in Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice, is reportedly the first study to examine whether verapamil, a calcium-channel blocker (CCB) used to treat hypertension, could lower fasting serum glucose in patients with diabetes. The findings expand on a 2014 study that found verapamil slowed the decline of beta cells in mice and restored their ability to produce insulin. In this new observation study, researchers at the University of Alabama evaluated nearly 5,000 patients with diabetes who participated in the Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) study. 1,484 of the participants were taking a CCB medication; 174 were treated with verapamil. On average, verapamil users had lower fasting blood glucose levels of 0.6 mmol/l compared to people with diabetes that were not taking CCB drugs. Additionally, verapamil users treated with insulin and diabetes tablets had 1.3 mmol/l lower fasting blood sugar than people taking the same diabetes medication but who weren't on any CCB drugs. For people with diabetes using only insulin, verapamil users had 2.1 mmol/l lower fasting blood sugar levels than people treated with insulin alone and no CCB medication. Dr. Yulia Khodneva explained: "The change in glucose for that group compared to those not taking verapamil - 37 mg/dL (2.1 mmol/l) - is almost four times higher than when you look at the whole sample of diabetic adults. "That made us think that verapamil is predominantly active for participants who have type 1 diabetes or those with type 2 diabetes who have really damaged beta cells. There seems to be something that works on the structural level, especially for those who have stronger beta-cell damage." The researchers stressed that if their findings are validated in other studies, new treatment options could be developed for people with type 1 diabetes and advanced type 2 diabetes.

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[Deleted member 229490]

The blood pressure drug verapamil could lower blood glucose levels in people with diabetes, according to new research. The study, published in Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice, is reportedly the first study to examine whether verapamil, a calcium-channel blocker (CCB) used to treat hypertension, could lower fasting serum glucose in patients with diabetes. The findings expand on a 2014 study that found verapamil slowed the decline of beta cells in mice and restored their ability to produce insulin. In this new observation study, researchers at the University of Alabama evaluated nearly 5,000 patients with diabetes who participated in the Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) study. 1,484 of the participants were taking a CCB medication; 174 were treated with verapamil. On average, verapamil users had lower fasting blood glucose levels of 0.6 mmol/l compared to people with diabetes that were not taking CCB drugs. Additionally, verapamil users treated with insulin and diabetes tablets had 1.3 mmol/l lower fasting blood sugar than people taking the same diabetes medication but who weren't on any CCB drugs. For people with diabetes using only insulin, verapamil users had 2.1 mmol/l lower fasting blood sugar levels than people treated with insulin alone and no CCB medication. Dr. Yulia Khodneva explained: "The change in glucose for that group compared to those not taking verapamil - 37 mg/dL (2.1 mmol/l) - is almost four times higher than when you look at the whole sample of diabetic adults. "That made us think that verapamil is predominantly active for participants who have type 1 diabetes or those with type 2 diabetes who have really damaged beta cells. There seems to be something that works on the structural level, especially for those who have stronger beta-cell damage." The researchers stressed that if their findings are validated in other studies, new treatment options could be developed for people with type 1 diabetes and advanced type 2 diabetes.

Continue reading...

The blood pressure drug verapamil could lower blood glucose levels in people with diabetes, according to new research. The study, published in Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice, is reportedly the first study to examine whether verapamil, a calcium-channel blocker (CCB) used to treat hypertension, could lower fasting serum glucose in patients with diabetes. The findings expand on a 2014 study that found verapamil slowed the decline of beta cells in mice and restored their ability to produce insulin. In this new observation study, researchers at the University of Alabama evaluated nearly 5,000 patients with diabetes who participated in the Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) study. 1,484 of the participants were taking a CCB medication; 174 were treated with verapamil. On average, verapamil users had lower fasting blood glucose levels of 0.6 mmol/l compared to people with diabetes that were not taking CCB drugs. Additionally, verapamil users treated with insulin and diabetes tablets had 1.3 mmol/l lower fasting blood sugar than people taking the same diabetes medication but who weren't on any CCB drugs. For people with diabetes using only insulin, verapamil users had 2.1 mmol/l lower fasting blood sugar levels than people treated with insulin alone and no CCB medication. Dr. Yulia Khodneva explained: "The change in glucose for that group compared to those not taking verapamil - 37 mg/dL (2.1 mmol/l) - is almost four times higher than when you look at the whole sample of diabetic adults. "That made us think that verapamil is predominantly active for participants who have type 1 diabetes or those with type 2 diabetes who have really damaged beta cells. There seems to be something that works on the structural level, especially for those who have stronger beta-cell damage." The researchers stressed that if their findings are validated in other studies, new treatment options could be developed for people with type 1 diabetes and advanced type 2 diabetes.

Continue reading...

 

[Deleted member 229490]

This CCB referenced here, to help both blood pressure, and blood sugar , in type 1 or type 2 seems too good to even be true ? Anyone have success for both BP and BS, improvement. I have read that calcium is very critical partner in body use of insulin, so when a CBC pushes back on calcium, an impact to blood pressure heart beat power, I wonder if it might harm the calcium/ insulin partnership in effective insulin?

 

[Oldvatr]

The Beta cells use calcium to convert pre-insulin into insulin and c-peptide. This insulin gets stored in the beta cells granules but does not release it until the potassium level increases which opens the door and allows the stored insulin out into the blood stream. So blocking calcium flow to the pancreas is not a good idea. it will probably clobber the Stage #1 insulin response, but that normally gets clobbered by T2D, but longer term it will probably just reduce the peak output giving a slower response. Conversely if the drug only inhibits calcium going into the heart, then this would give more calcium for the beta cells, which may be what they are seeing.

Interesting that it improves T1D beta cell function apparently. Or am I misssing something? Is it only during the honeymoon period?

They only measured fasting blood sugars, so we do not know if insulin output improved, or insulin resistance was reduced by the drug. An OGTT study is called for, methinks Pity they did not measure any c-peptides.

 

[EllieM]

That article is from 6 years ago, a more recent (but tiny) study here found that it could reduce the amount of insulin needed by newly diagnosed T1s for a couple of years
Medication helps protect insulin production in type 1 diabetes | National Institutes of Health (NIH)
and here's a study from 2018
Verapamil and beta cell function in adults with recent-onset type 1 diabetes - PMC (nih.gov)

Is it only during the honeymoon period?

I thought once you were out of the honeymoon period the insulin production was completely gone, so am not sure how you could improve it?

 

[Oldvatr]

That article is from 6 years ago, a more recent (but tiny) study here found that it could reduce the amount of insulin needed by newly diagnosed T1s for a couple of years
Medication helps protect insulin production in type 1 diabetes | National Institutes of Health (NIH)
and here's a study from 2018
Verapamil and beta cell function in adults with recent-onset type 1 diabetes - PMC (nih.gov)


I thought once you were out of the honeymoon period the insulin production was completely gone, so am not sure how you could improve it?

Quite clear that it applies only to newly dx'ed T1D and both of the reports clearly states that.

Not sure of this but I have found an article on TXNIP enzyme that seems to be the opposite of what they are claiming in these studies.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gene/10628
This summary is poorly written because sometimes the authors describe both the effect of the enzyme together with the effects of what it regulates in a way that can be interpreted as either the enzyme having that effect, or is preventing that effect. There are double negatives galore. It would have been better if they had described the Thioredoxin activities alone, then discussed how the enzyme altered that.

The main thing is that this drug appears to increase beta cell insulin output in cases where there is insufficiency, but will not help those of us suffering hyperinsulinaemia. For T1D it delays the primary endpoint, but does not prevent that outcome.

 

[Wilber123]

Quite clear that it applies only to newly dx'ed T1D and both of the reports clearly states that.

Not sure of this but I have found an article on TXNIP enzyme that seems to be the opposite of what they are claiming in these studies.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gene/10628
This summary is poorly written because sometimes the authors describe both the effect of the enzyme together with the effects of what it regulates in a way that can be interpreted as either the enzyme having that effect, or is preventing that effect. There are double negatives galore. It would have been better if they had described the Thioredoxin activities alone, then discussed how the enzyme altered that.

The main thing is that this drug appears to increase beta cell insulin output in cases where there is insufficiency, but will not help those of us suffering hyperinsulinaemia. For T1D it delays the primary endpoint, but does not prevent that outcome.