Obesity pill may treat diabetes

Type 2 diabetes is a difficult disease treat and the available drugs although can improve blood glucose control has the tendency to promote weight gain, instead of weight loss.

Researchers in the University of Liege in Belgium found that rimonabant, sold by Sanofi-Aventis under the trade name Acomplia that is used to treat obesity problem in patients without diabetes could reduce risk factors for heart disease in patients with type 2 diabetes who did not respond to the usual standard treatments.

The researchers also found that patients on rimonabant lost more weight than those not on the drug and had greater decreases in body fat. Improvements in appetite and blood glucose control were also greater in the treatment group.