London, July 2 (ANI): Scientists have found that a drug, commonly prescribed to treat high blood pressure, could slow the progression of eye damage in people with type 1 diabetes, a common complication caused by this disease.

By administering an antihypertensive, University of Minnesota Medical School researcher Michael Mauer, M.D. and colleagues were able to slow progression of diabetic eye damage in more than 65 percent of participants involved in the study.

Three groups of participants were observed over the course of five years. Two groups were administered one of two antihypertensive medications, losartan or enalapril, and the last group, a placebo.

Mauer's study demonstrated that participants who were administered either enalapril or losartan experienced a significant slowing of the progression of diabetic eye injury, by 65 and 70 percent, respectively.

"The secondary results of this study showed that people taking these antihypertensive medications experienced a substantially positive effect in slowing diabetic eye injury," said Mauer.

The study has been published in the July 2nd issue of The New England Journal of Medicine. (ANI)