Retinopathy can best be prevented by controlling sugar as well as lipid level in blood. After studying hundreds of eye photos, Dr Ronald Danis concluded that reducing lipid level (or cholesterol level) slows down the diabetic retinopathy progress.
Dr Ronald Dains is MD and professor at Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences Wisconsin, Madison.
Eye photos of more than 3000 patients of type 2 diabetes were evaluated. These patients were, in future, at risk of cardiovascular disease such as stroke and heart attack. Findings were presented at New England Journal of Medicines.
The study, named ACCORD Eye study (abbreviation of Action to Control Cardiovascular Risk in Diabetes Eye Study), was intended to find out most effective therapy to reduce risk of cardiovascular diseases caused by diabetes.
Three methods that were examined were; First: intensive blood sugar level control, Second: intensive blood pressure control, Third: both i.e. intensive blood pressure (with the help of cholesterol lowering drugs such as lipitor) as well as blood sugar level control.
It showed that intensive blood sugar level control was more effective than standard sugar control to slow down diabetic retinopathy. However, it increased the risk of death by 22%. Only intensive blood-pressure control did not affect progression of retinopathy.
Study also suggests that administration of fibrate and statin drug (both are lipid lowering drugs) together is more effective to curb retinopathy than that of statin drugs without fibrate drugs.
The findings are believed to be important given the fact retinopathy is major cause of blindness and most common eye problem in diabetic patients across the world.
Also Dr Danis' work may pave the way to research and development of new drug that will have combined effects of fibrate and statin drugs.
Dr Ronald Dains is MD and professor at Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences Wisconsin, Madison.
Eye photos of more than 3000 patients of type 2 diabetes were evaluated. These patients were, in future, at risk of cardiovascular disease such as stroke and heart attack. Findings were presented at New England Journal of Medicines.
The study, named ACCORD Eye study (abbreviation of Action to Control Cardiovascular Risk in Diabetes Eye Study), was intended to find out most effective therapy to reduce risk of cardiovascular diseases caused by diabetes.
Three methods that were examined were; First: intensive blood sugar level control, Second: intensive blood pressure control, Third: both i.e. intensive blood pressure (with the help of cholesterol lowering drugs such as lipitor) as well as blood sugar level control.
It showed that intensive blood sugar level control was more effective than standard sugar control to slow down diabetic retinopathy. However, it increased the risk of death by 22%. Only intensive blood-pressure control did not affect progression of retinopathy.
Study also suggests that administration of fibrate and statin drug (both are lipid lowering drugs) together is more effective to curb retinopathy than that of statin drugs without fibrate drugs.
The findings are believed to be important given the fact retinopathy is major cause of blindness and most common eye problem in diabetic patients across the world.
Also Dr Danis' work may pave the way to research and development of new drug that will have combined effects of fibrate and statin drugs.
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