6
NEWS
Weekly injections for T2D
A once-weekly 2mg injection of Novo Nordisk's Ozempic semaglutide
product Ozempic has been approved for use in America, following results
of the SUSTAIN FORTE trial, which showed that a higher dose of the
drug led to better haemaglobin A1c control and slightly better weight
loss, meaning lower risk of heart attack or stroke. However, there was a
downside in terms of higher risk of gastrointestinal upsets. Two other
similar forms of semaglutide Rybelsus and Wegovy, are also available,
but Rybelsus is a daily pill and Wegovy at a higher once-weekly dose of
2.4mg, is only so far licensed for obesity. So far, the higher Ozempic dose
is not available in England but Novo Nordisk is expected to argue that an
additional dosing option will give doctors and people with diabetes an
additional alternative in order to personalise their treatment.
Get a wiggle on!
Every day is 'A Day' in PR land and a group of companies that make
standing desks and other 'active office' equipment has collaborated to
come up with On Your Feet Day, a new initiative for 28 April 2022 to get
people to appoint a Chief Wiggle Officer in their workplaces. Suggestions
to 'get people standing' and to 'wiggle it, not sit on it' include the
introduction of standing meetings (a sure fire way to speed them up at
least), compulsory stretches or an alert at random times to make everyone
stand up and sit down again. Although this may seem like a shortcut to
becoming the most loathed person in the company, it does have a serious
message about reducing sedentary behaviour. People are being invited
to register (at no cost) with the website to receive details of a range of
movement-oriented team-building suggestions, and a competition for
workplace groups who embrace the idea with the most enthusiasm.
www.onyourfeetday.com
Quality in
Care QiC
diabetes
awards 2022
This award is supported by all
the main diabetes professional
organisations and charities as
well as Desang and is now in its
12th year. It is sponsored by the
pharmaceutical company Sanofi
and is designed to recognise good
NHS practice in the care of people
with diabetes and their families.
Although nominations have to come
from healthcare providers, we are
urging people living with diabetes
to pass on suggestions for potential
award winners to the doctors and
nurses looking after them. Awards
are made in categories including
outstanding educator of the year in
diabetes, diabetes professional of
the year, and a people's award.
www.qualityincare.org
Cals and food
choices?
A law introduced this more will
require all cafes, restaurants and
takeaways with more than 250
employees to list calorie counts
on non-prepacked food and
soft drinks. Critics are generally
unimpressed. This will only apply
to the major fast food chains
as most outlets don't have 250
employees. According to surveys,
only about one in five people aged
under 25 bother to count calories,
and less than a third of those aged
under 40 do so. As people with
diabetes need to count carbs not
calories, it is not clear exactly who
this piece of anti-obesity window
dressing is meant to benefit.
LIVINGLIVING
be delivered with its dime-sized patch.
Based on technology originally developed
at the University of Queensland, Vaxxas'
HD-MAP includes a 9-by-9 mm array
of thousands of very short projections
around 250 microns in length. Invisible to
the naked eye and coated with vaccine,
the projections can quickly deliver vaccine
to immune cells.
Vaxxas also claims that the patches
can deliver vaccine more efficiently - a
positive when people around the world are
clamouring for a vaccine against COVID19. The
company points to a recent
clinical study in which their micropatch
delivering a sixth of an influenza vaccine
dose produced an immune response
comparable to a full dose by intramuscular
injection. A two-thirds dose by HD-MAP
generated significantly faster and higher
overall antibody responses.
Because a vaccine is dried onto the
patch, the vaccines are stable outside
of cold-chain (they do not have to be
refridgerated), a potential answer to the
question of how to keep a traditional
COVID-19 vaccine cold in developing
countries and even developed countries.
Vaccines delivered through HD-MAP in
the clinical study stayed stable at 40oC
(104o F) for 12 months.
EDIT COMMENT: It's a different use
for patch, in the diabetes sector at this
stage, sensors are used to sense glucose,
not deliver drugs, but it's not beyond the
realms of reason that a similar micropatch
could be used for such a purpose in the
future to deliver diabetes medications.
Life Sport Diabetes
Mel Stephenson-Grey's home workout
circuit consists of six different exercises.
She explains, "With each exercise we'll
do consecutively for 30 seconds and then
rest for 30 seconds. If someone is new to
fitness or this type of activity, they might
choose to take a longer rest between
each exercise, for say a minute or two.
Once all of the exercises are completed,
we then take a six-minute rest (which
again is adaptable) and once recovered,
we repeat the circuit all over again."
Stephenson-Grey took part in the
London 2012 Olympics Games torch
relay and still trains (prior to lockdown) at
the track and in the gym. The exercises
she does include standing squats, pressups, the
plank, lunges, the superman
pose (when the opposite arm and leg are
stretched out) and sit ups.
She says, "This type of fitness session
is inspired by the type of session I've often
done with my training group over the
years, particularly at the start of the winter
or summer training season, as it helps
build strength and fitness as a foundation
to move onto other things. It works the
arms, legs and core areas throughout
the session, which can be helpful when
training a lot, because no one area is
necessarily over-worked or strained."
The home workout videos have been
accepted by many in the community.
She adds, "I'm sharing what training
sessions work for me. Please remember
that you know your own fitness, health
and diabetes best. Seek medical advice
if you are concerned about undertaking
physical activity."
Home workouts with Mel Stephenson-Grey of Life Sport Diabetes.
www. lifesportdiabetes.co.uk
ISSUE 88
DIABETES MAGAZINE
DESANG
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Access to blood test strips
and meters: your choice
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Screen Time
(part 2): meters
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MAKING
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EAT YOUR GREENS!
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RINGING
A BELL?
Alarm fatigue and
how to prevent it
PLUS
An update on the
MiniMed 780G
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'new look'!
ISSUE 119
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LUSCIOUS LYCHEES
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DIY SYSTEMS
The ultimate in self-care?
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Roche's new
meter launch:
introducing
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Instant