New research has revealed that two medications commonly prescribed to diabetes patients could significantly reduce asthma attacks, potentially offering a new treatment avenue for individuals with both conditions.
The study, conducted by researchers at Imperial College London, focused on metformin and GLP-1 receptor agonists—drugs widely used in managing Type 2 diabetes. These include popular medications such as Ozempic, Mounjaro, and Saxenda. The results suggest that these drugs may not only help control blood sugar and promote weight loss, but also directly improve respiratory health by reducing asthma attacks by as much as 70%.
The research, published in JAMA Internal Medicine, tracked nearly 13,000 patients with both asthma and diabetes over a 16-year period. The findings were striking: metformin alone was associated with a 30% reduction in asthma attack risk, and when combined with a GLP-1 medication, the risk dropped by an additional 40%.
Researchers believe the benefits extend beyond the typical effects of diabetes management, such as better blood sugar control or weight loss. Instead, they suggest that these drugs may act directly on airway function to alleviate asthma symptoms.
Chloe Bloom, senior lecturer in respiratory epidemiology at Imperial College London and lead author of the study, explained that metformin’s anti-inflammatory properties and its ability to reverse some of the airway changes seen in asthma could be key to its effectiveness. Additionally, GLP-1 drugs work on receptors found in both the brain and the lungs, which may help calm airway hyper-responsiveness—a hallmark of asthma.
“This study highlights the potential to repurpose these widely-used anti-diabetic medications as alternative treatments for asthma,” Bloom said. She emphasized that while the findings are promising, further research and clinical trials are necessary to confirm these effects and explore how these drugs could be integrated into asthma treatment regimens.
The study’s implications are particularly relevant for individuals with both asthma and Type 2 diabetes, as nearly half of the participants in the study were overweight or obese, conditions that often accompany diabetes and can exacerbate asthma symptoms.
In conclusion, while more research is needed, these findings open up exciting possibilities for using established diabetes medications to treat asthma, offering hope for a broader, more effective approach to managing both conditions.
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