Prime Therapeutics LLC (Prime) recently released its research on hypoglycemic events, also known as insulin shock and low blood sugar.
Hypoglycemia (HG) can lead to an emergency room (ER) visit. It is just as dangerous as high blood sugar to a diabetic.
A diabetic suffering from low blood sugar can experience loss of vision, seizures or pass out. Prime has been researching the association of HG events and ER visits for Type 1 and Type 2 diabetics. With the data from nearly 4 million members, Prime was able to compile information on 4,100 ER visits that resulted from hypoglycemic events.
The research revealed that ER visits for Type 1 diabetics
outstripped visits by Type 2 diabetics by nearly 250 percent. The type of
insulin used appears to be a factor in HG for Type 2 diabetics. ER visits
tripled if the patient used both long- and short-acting insulin versus
long-acting insulin only.
It appears that long-acting insulin, which is the most common therapy for a Type 2 diabetic, is more effective in reducing HG events. The most commonly prescribed long-acting insulin, Lantus, has lost its U.S. patent. Generic brands can now be manufactured by competitors. While two more insulin drugs, Toujeo and Tresiba, have been approved, the cost may be prohibitive for health plans and patients.
The research provided by Prime can help health plans and
providers determine the best medication choices for the patients while lowering
the total cost of care.
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