Diabetes study aims to take guesswork out of medications

Ortez Morris, 42, was in a car accident last summer and required medical attention, including a blood test.

“They did my blood sugar levels, and that's when I was informed that I had diabetes,” he said.

Morris has Type 2, the most common form of the disease that affects nearly 26 million Americans. It’s a chronic condition in which the body does not properly process sugar, and it can lead to numerous complications, including blindness, amputations and death.

Most patients need medication to control their blood sugar. The first line of treatment is typically a medication called metformin. Eventually, most patients, including Morris, need a second drug.

“Physicians and prescribers aren’t really sure which one is the best to use to add onto the metformin,” said Dr. Sue Kirkman, an endocrinologist with UNC Hospitals.

Kirkman said the study looks at how well the medications lower blood sugar and the side effects, including whether patients gain weight or lose energy.

In the study, Morris was randomly chosen to receive injectible insulin.

The results won't be known until the year 2020. By then, doctors hope prescribing diabetes medications will involve less guesswork and more long-term success in controlling the disease.