A recent study has brought to light a potential connection between the widely-used diabetes medication and a rare eye condition that can lead to sudden blindness.
Researchers investigating the impacts of a diabetes treatment have discovered that patients taking this specific drug appear to be over twice as likely to develop a rare eye condition compared to those on other diabetes medications. This eye condition, known as Non-Arteritic Anterior Ischemic Optic Neuropathy (NAION), involves a sudden decrease in blood flow to the optic nerve, potentially resulting in irreversible vision loss.
Delving into years of patient data from Denmark and Norway, the study published on medRxiv outlines a potentially concerning trend. Patients using this medication showed an increase of just 1.4 additional cases of NAION per 10,000 patient-years — a metric that multiplies the number of patients by the duration they were monitored — compared to those using other diabetes treatments. While this might appear minor, it’s enough to cause concern among healthcare providers about long-term effects.
If this elevated risk persists over time, a patient undergoing treatment for type 2 diabetes for two decades could face a 0.3% to 0.5% chance of encountering NAION. Meanwhile, findings related to a similar weight-loss drug sharing the same active component were inconclusive, largely due to an insufficient number of patients for a robust analysis.
Despite the alarming potential for vision problems, the incidence of NAION remains exceptionally low. It’s estimated to affect up to 10 out of every 100,000 older individuals in the U.S. each year, based on information from the American Academy of Ophthalmology.
This revelation follows an earlier investigation that also pointed to a link between the drug’s active ingredient and NAION. Researchers stress the importance of balancing the established benefits of the medication in managing diabetes and obesity against these possible risks. Their insights are crucial as they navigate the complex landscape of treatment effects.
The study highlights a critical consideration for patients and healthcare professionals when evaluating treatment options. Although the overall risk increase appears small, the findings prompt further scrutiny and conversation regarding long-term medication use.
Source: Yahoo
