Heart disease is one of the most common and lethal complication associated with type 2 diabetes which is why research into preventing its impact is so important.

The Diabetes Australia Research Trust is supporting research at the Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute where researchers believe they may have identified a potential new therapy.

Dr Arpeeta Sharma said that while many people with type 2 diabetes were taking medication to control blood pressure or cholesterol levels, they did not always respond adequately to reduce their risk of heart disease.

“People with diabetes who don’t respond adequately to standard blood pressure lowering medication can be at an increased risk of a range of diabetes-related cardiovascular complications,” Dr Sharma said.

“Recent research points to the role inflammatory processes play in damaging blood vessels and impairing the heart’s function.

“If we can reduce the impact of inflammation on the heart then we may be able to develop more effective ways of treating diabetes-related heart conditions.

“With the help of a grant from the Diabetes Australia Research Trust we will be studying a small molecule inflammasome inhibitor which we think we can show helps decrease the impact of inflammation and, in turn, helps reduces the likelihood of diabetes-related heart damage.”

Find out how you can support research like Dr Sharma’s here.