This web site is updated weekly so that we may bring you the latest health news in a timely fashion. You may want to bookmark this site for future reference. . A prescription drug used to lower levels of fat-like substances in the blood may also help prevent heart disease in people with type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes, also known as adult-onset diabetes, results in abnormally high levels of sugar in the blood, which can damage the eyes, kidneys and nerves. Hardening of the arteries is the most common medical complication of diabetes and can lead to further heart complications.
Prior studies suggest that changing blood cholesterol levels can help decrease heart disease.
Researchers in Canada tried the drug fenofibrate, marketed as Tricor by Abbott Laboratories in Abbott Park, Ill., on 207 volunteers with type 2 diabetes for three years. After studying the volunteers' blood vessels with X-rays, the researchers found the drug may reduce the risk of heart disease. The most common reported side effects of the drug are rash and stomach upset. The research team published their findings in the journal Lancet. Copyright 2001 by United Press International.