Meridia

Researchers report that Meridia, the weight loss drug, helps overweight people with weight loss, diabetes control and their blood glucose levels.

The results of eight clinical studies that evaluated the effect of Meridia (ibutramine) on weight loss and glucose control were combined by Dr. Roberto Vettor and colleagues from the University of Padua, Italy. The research data included 1093 obese people with type 2 diabetes, including 552 treated with sibutramine and 541 who were given an inactive placebo.

The participants given sibutramine (Meridia) had significantly greater decreases in body weight and waist circumference than those in the placebo group, as reported in Diabetes Care, a medical journal. Fasting blood glucose levels, as well as HbA1c, a measure of long term glucose control, were also significantly decreased with sibutramine treatment.

Systolic blood pressure - the upper reading - did not differ between the placebo and sibutramine groups, but there were small increases in diastolic (lower reading) blood pressure and heart rate.

"These results demonstrate that the addition of sibutramine to the treatment with diet, oral antidiabetic agents, or insulin may improve glycemic control," Dr. Vettor's group concludes. "This is a significant finding that could have implications on how these patients are treated in the future."