[123RF]
[123RF]

Adults diagnosed with diabetes who begin drug treatment sooner have significantly better long-term outcomes, according to new research.

A research team led by Sungkyunkwan University professors Shin Ju-young and Kim Ju-hwan, along with researchers Ko Hwa-yeon and Jung Kyung-yeon, and Professor Jang Yu-su of the Kangbuk Samsung Hospital Cohort Research Institute, analyzed the link between the timing of blood glucose-lowering medication and the risk of cardiovascular disease and death among 23,452 Korean adults with type 2 diabetes.

Type 2 diabetes is a chronic condition in which early symptoms are often minimal, making timely diagnosis and treatment easy to delay.

Leaving the disease untreated in its early stages can significantly increase the risk of complications and death later on.

The research team divided newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes patients — defined by a glycated hemoglobin level of 6.5 percent or higher, or a fasting blood glucose level of 126 mg/dL or higher — into four groups based on when they started medication: within three months, within six months, within 12 months, and those who went untreated for more than 12 months. All participants were followed for five years.

The earlier patients began treatment, the greater the reduction in the risk of major cardiovascular events.

Patients who started diabetes medication within three months of diagnosis had a 69 percent lower risk of all-cause mortality within five years compared with those who went untreated for more than 12 months.

"This study found that more than half of all participants had not started drug treatment within five years of their diabetes diagnosis," said Professor Jang. "Many patients delay taking medication after diagnosis because they have no early symptoms, but these findings show that early, proactive treatment is important for long-term outcomes."

The study was funded by the Ministry of Health and Welfare through its Patient-Centered Clinical Research Coordinating Center program and was published in the latest issue of JAMA Network Open.


husn7@heraldcorp.com