VIENNA: In a study that could save millions of lives across the world, Australian scientists have found that a daily combination dose of two blood pressure lowering drugs cuts the chances of dying from Type 2 diabetes by almost one-fifth, besides minimising chances of such patients developing heart and kidney diseases.

According to scientists from Sydney's George Institute for International Health, who conducted the world's largest ever trial, called ADVANCE (Action in Diabetes and Vascular Disease), administering a fixed combination of the two BP lowering drugs - perindopril and indapamide - for 5 years saved one in 79 patients suffering from Type 2 diabetes, reduced risk of heart attack and strokes by 14% and risk of developing kidney diseases by 21%.

The scientists studied 11,000 diabetics, all aged 55 and over, in 20 countries. Type 2 diabetics are those who are not dependent on insulin and can control the glucose in their blood by a measured diet, regular exercise and oral medication.

Announcing their finding at the European Congress of Cardiology here on Sunday and in medical journal 'Lancet', the team said that all patients, including those with normal BP and those already taking drugs to combat high BP and cholesterol, benefited from this combo therapy.

At present, only those with high BP are offered medication such as ACE inhibitor and diuretic drugs. According to the scientists, if the treatment is started immediately across the world for Type 2 diabetics, 1.5 million lives will be saved in the next five years.

Prof Nikhil Tandon from All India Institute of Medical Sciences, who conducted the trial in India on 471 patients, including women, said: "The study has tremendous news for India, the world's diabetes capital and home to an estimated 35 million diabetics. The therapy had virtually no side-effects and benefited all patients cutting across ethnicities and nationalities."

In the study, half the patients received a daily dose of the BP lowering combination treatment, which works by relaxing the blood vessels, while the other half received an inactive dummy drug or placebo.

Those taking the drug saw their systolic BP reading fall on average from 140mm to 135mm, while it was unchanged in the dummy group. The risk of cardiovascular deaths dropped by 18% among treated patients. There was reduction of 21% in kidney failure. Heart disease kills two out of three people with diabetes.

Prof Stephen MacMahon from the George Institute for International Health said: "Approximately 250 million people are living with diabetes across the world. These results, therefore, represent an important step forward in health care for the millions of diabetics worldwide."