As reported by a new study, diabetics, who suffer from type II diabetes in particular, benefit most from long-acting insulin as compared to other injection types.
The study was made public on Thursday, and reported that patients who do not do well with regular pills, show greater improvement with long-acting drugs such as the Levemir insulin, which is given at bedtime, and NovoRapid insulin injections, which are given thrice daily, before meals.

The study, which was funded by drug-maker Novo Nordisk, compared results of the two aforementioned long-acting insulin injections with injections of NovoMix 30, which were administered twice everyday. The patients studied were from Britain and Ireland, and included diabetics who were earlier on Metformin and Sulfonylurea pills.

Lead researchers Dr. Rury Holman said, "Any treatment which keeps blood sugar under control will minimize risk of complications, but in the end insulin may be the only effective way of doing this. The vast majority will need insulin in the longer term".

Published in the online edition of the New England Journal of Medicine on October 22, the study, in addition to Novo Nordisk, also found supporetrs in the nonprofit group Diabetes UK, which also sent in funds. The study will be presented at the 20th World Diabetes Congress, to be held in Montreal.