This diabetes medicine will give triple benefits, will take care of kidneys along with sugar and weight.

Diabetes medicine: Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist drugs developed to treat diabetes are now proving effective in kidney protection. A research has found that along with helping in weight loss and controlling blood sugar, these medicines also reduce kidney related diseases. This discovery has been led by Indian-origin Professor Sunil Badve. This research was published in the Lancet Diabetes and Endocrinology journal.

The main function of GLP-1 receptor agonists is to control blood sugar. These medicines increase insulin production and lower blood sugar levels. Also, these drugs slow down the digestion process, which reduces appetite and helps in weight loss.

How do these medicines affect the kidneys?
This research found that the risk of kidney failure was reduced by 16% in patients who used GLP-1 receptor agonists. In addition, the glomerular filtration rate, which is a measure of kidney function, also gradually decreases by 22%. Overall, these drugs reduced the risk of kidney failure, reduced kidney function, and death from kidney disease by 19%.

Which GLP-1 receptor agonists were included in the research?
The research involved seven different GLP-1 receptor agonists, including semaglutide (Ozempic, Vegovy), dulaglutide (Trulicity), and liraglutide (Victoza). A total of 11 large-scale clinical trials analyzed data from 85,373 people, of whom 67,769 had type-2 diabetes, while 17,604 were overweight or obese but did not have diabetes.

New hope for chronic kidney disease
According to researchers, chronic kidney disease is a progressive disease, which gradually leads to kidney failure and requires the patient to undergo dialysis or a kidney transplant. This disease is directly related to untimely death, especially due to heart disease. GLP-1 receptor agonists can reduce these problems and improve patients’ quality of life.

What is special for patients and doctors?
Professor Sunil Badve said, this effect of GLP-1 receptor agonist is a ray of hope for patients suffering from chronic kidney disease. These medicines not only treat diabetes and obesity but also improve kidney functioning.