Fixed-dose combination pills recommended

Fixed-dose combination (FDC) pills are now recommended by many health experts because the combined efficacy of the component drugs are conveniently contained in one pill. Hence, better patient compliance is obtained, and the FDC pill is usually more economical.

The important criterion for recommending an FDC preparation, however, is that the component drugs must be considered rational.

Health experts explain that the components of the FDC drug must be proven to be either additive or synergistic such that the overall effect of the FDC is enhanced.

Several studies have shown that patients taking the combination of rosiglitazone and metformin achieve better blood sugar control.

The complementary mechanism of these two drugs could help people manage their type 2 diabetes longer.

Rosiglitazone targets insulin resistance, an underlying cause of type 2 diabetes while metformin works to reduce the amount of blood sugar (glucose) produced by the liver.

The combination targets core metabolic defects to help achieve and sustain better blood sugar control than metformin alone.

When combined, these two medications significantly lower blood sugar more effectively than metformin.

The fixed-dose combination of rosiglitazone and metformin for the treatment of type 2 diabetes offers a new option for millions of people with the disease.

It has already been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of type 2 diabetes.

The combination of these two drugs in one convenient pill is now available in the Philippines. GlaxoSmithKline, maker of the drug and one of the world’s largest research-based pharmaceutical companies, is committed to developing novel diabetes therapies to treat a disease that has escalated to epidemic proportion in the country and throughout the world.

Diabetes experts are setting more stringent standards that reflect the importance of maintaining tight glucose control.

The United Kingdom Prospective Diabetes Study (UKPDS) showed that tight blood sugar control can delay or prevent the complications of type 2 diabetes.

The study also showed that multiple drugs are needed in order to control the disease and prevent serious complications.

Research has demonstrated that rosiglitazone and metformin in combination significantly reduce and maintain blood sugar levels for at least two years.

The combination has also been associated with a low risk of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar).

Rosiglitazone plus metformin is indicated as an adjunct to diet and exercise to reduce insulin resistance and improve glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes when metformin or rosiglitazone alone fails to do so.

Patients with type 2 diabetes should consult their doctors to learn more about these new treatments.