Diabetes drug may have hidden health benefits for older adults
Published: 3 February 2025
A new and increasingly widely used diabetes medication may have additional health benefits for older adults, according to new research which looked at data from more than 300,000 patients who have taken part in clinical trials
A new and increasingly widely used diabetes medication may have additional health benefits for older adults, according to new research which looked at data from more than 300,000 patients who have taken part in clinical trials.
The study, led by the University of Glasgow and published in JAMA, is the largest of its kind to assess the health benefits of diabetes medications in different age groups.
Researchers found that one type of diabetes drug in particular – SGLT2 inhibitors – were associated with a reduced risk of heart attacks and strokes in older people, compared to younger people. This benefit was in contrast to other findings from the study that showed the same drug was actually less effective in reducing blood sugar levels in older adults, compared with younger adults.
The findings suggest that it may be beneficial, for some groups, to take a broader view of the overall benefits when prescribing medication to patients with type 2 diabetes.
The study, a meta-analysis of more than 600 trials from across the world for newer treatments for type 2 diabetes, also looked at whether the drugs had different benefits for men and women but found no differences between these groups.
Currently, global estimates indicate that one in five people aged over 65 years-old live with diabetes, and that almost half of those with type 2 diabetes are aged over 65 years-old. In addition, older people with diabetes are more at risk of complications of the disease, including cardiovascular symptoms such as heart disease and strokes.
Over the past two decades new glucose lowering medications have changed the management of type 2 diabetes. The wider benefits of these drugs, including protecting against heart attacks and strokes, is known, but until now it was not well understood exactly which groups of patients were most likely to benefit. Additionally, current clinical guidelines do not recommend different diabetes drugs across different age groups, with the current primary target for treatment for all patients focused on reducing blood sugar levels.
Researchers argue these new findings on the wider benefits of some drugs for older people with diabetes should also be taken into account by doctors when prescribing medication.
Dr Peter Hanlon said: “Deciding on the best treatments for older people always requires careful balancing of risks and benefits. Our findings that older people experienced greater benefits from these drugs, in terms of reduced heart attacks and strokes, is very encouraging.
“Age alone should not be a barrier to treatments with proven benefit as long as they are well tolerated and align with patients’ priorities.”
Health Inequalities research at the University of Glasgow is focused on the persistent and unfair gaps in health and wellbeing between different groups in society. Our researchers seek to understand what causes health inequalities and how we can best tackle them, together. Working with a range of population groups, alongside data on key health outcomes and diseases, our teams are working to better understand inequality through research.
The study, ‘Age and sex differences in efficacy of treatments for type 2 diabetes: A network meta-analysis’ is published in JAMA. The study was funded by the Medical Research Council (MRC).
Enquiries: ali.howard@glasgow.ac.uk or elizabeth.mcmeekin@glasgow.ac.uk
First published: 3 February 2025