A popular class of diabetes drug, taken by about 500,000 people, increases the risk of dying by 60 per cent compared with other diabetes medication, researchers have found.
The drugs, known as sulphonylureas, are commonly used to treat type 2 diabetes, which can be caused by being overweight. In the study, the drugs were found to increase the risk of dying from any cause by 60 per cent. They also increased the likelihood of heart failure by 30 per cent, compared with another common medicine. The researchers at Imperial College London said the findings were important but stopped short of saying that diabetics should avoid the drugs. Daily Telegraph, December 4, 2009