Diabetes drugs ‘increase fracture risk’
Drugs used to treat type II diabetes can significantly increase a woman’s risk of breaking a bone, according to new research.
UK and US researchers have discovered that the use of drugs such as rosiglitazone and pioglitzone for more than a year can thin the bones.
Such drugs have been linked to bone fracture risk in the past, as well as being implicated in heart problems.
Rosigliatzone and pioglitazone featured on some two million prescriptions last year in the UK alone.
However, the European Medicines Agency has argued that the drugs’ benefits outweigh their risks.
Lead researcher Dr Yoon Loke, of the University of East Anglia, said: "Women with type II diabetes are already at an increased risk of fractures - with a near doubling in the risk of hip fractures - so any additional risk from thiazolidinedione therapy could have a considerable impact on public health."
Elsewhere, research published in the journal Nature Genetics suggested the body clock is linked to type II diabetes.
The Insurance Helpline specialises in obtaining cover for people living with diabetes
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