Glucagon, a life-saving drug for severe low blood sugar (hypoglycaemia) caused by diabetes, is now reimbursable by the health service also in the nasal spray formulation.
From now on, the latter becomes a real opportunity for patients, adults and children, and will be available in all regions, thanks to the decision of the Italian Medicines Agency (Aifa) published in the Official Journal.
Insulin and glucagon are two hormones produced by the pancreas that regulate the presence of sugar in the blood. In people with type 1 diabetes, especially of long duration, the risk of hypoglycaemia affects everyone, and up to more than 40% of patients are affected at least once a year. Additionally, although less frequent, episodes are also possible in patients with type 2 diabetes.
When hypoglycaemia is severe and the patient is unconscious or can no longer take sugar or glucose by mouth, glucagon should be used. Until last year, this hormone capable of extracting the sugar already existing in the body was only available by intramuscular injection and it was therefore necessary to have someone capable of administering it; in mid-2020, glucagon in formulation for nasal spray, produced by Ely Lilly, also arrived in our country, the advantage of which is error-free use and the ability to always keep it at hand, since it does not require no special storage precautions. Now, finally, this administration becomes freely available to patients.
“When a diabetic suffers an episode of severe hypoglycaemia, with loss of consciousness, there is no time to lose: unable to administer sugars by mouth, another person must intervene immediately with glucagon, the ‘insulin antagonist hormone that stimulates the liver to release and produce glucose, quickly bringing blood sugar levels back to normal’, explains Paolo Di Bartolo, president of the Italian Association of Diabetologists.
Approved beyond 4 years of age, Glucagon Spray is ready to use and only requires administration into a single nostril, as the powder enters the circulation without needing to be aspirated and there is no dose adjustment to be made. “Having always with you a life-saving and manageable medicine is a life insurance in case of loss of consciousness – concludes Claudio Maffeis, president of the Italian Society of Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetology (SIEDP) – because anyone can intervene and spray the medicated spray into the patient’s nose and thus offer adequate and timely help”.
One of the first regions to act is Emilia-Romagna. “Emilia Romagna will guarantee the availability of the spray – underlines the regional adviser for health policies, Raffaele Donini – we know how much the pronouncement of Aifa was awaited, especially by the parents of children with diabetes mellitus “.