Study: Actos not as effective as insulin-based therapy

Washington DCA new study has found diabetic patients who use Actos as treatment may experience greater weight gain when compared to those who were not on the medication.

span itemprop="image" itemscope itemtype="https://schema.org/ImageObject" style="display:block">Actos, which has been linked to an increased risk of congestive heart failure and liver problems, was found to be less effective in treating type 2 diabetes when compared to participants who were on an insulin-based therapy, Endocrine Today reports.

Researchers in the three-year study found that the insulin-plus-metformin regimen was "effective and safe as a short-term treatment."

A total of 58 patients aged 21 to 70, diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, were given the two different treatments: 29 had the insulin and 24 took a triple oral treatment that included Actos.

It was later found that the second group experienced an Actos side effect of greater weight gain when compared to the insulin group.

Another study, conducted last year, found Actos may also contribute to bone fractures and concluded that patients who were on Actos and Avandia to treat type 2 diabetes had a 1.5 times higher risk of developing the condition, Reuters reports.