Oral Hypoglycemic Drugs
Oral hypoglycemic drugs are used only in the treatment of type 2 diabetes which is a disorder involving resistance to secreted insulin. Type 1 diabetes involves a lack of insulin and requires insulin for treatment. There are now four classes of hypoglycemic drugs: Sulfonylureas Metformin Thiazolidinediones Alpha-glucosidase inhibitors. These drugs are approved for use only in patients with type 2 diabetes and are used in patients who have not responded to diet, weight reduction, and exercise. They are not approved for the treatment of women who are pregnant with diabetes. SULFONYLUREAS – Sulfonylureas are the most widely used drugs for the treatment of type 2 diabetes and appear to function by stimulating insulin secretion. The net effect is increased responsiveness of ß-cells (insulin secreting cells located in the pancreas) to both glucose and non-glucose secretagogues, resulting in more insulin being released at all blood glucose concentrations. Sulfonylureas may also have extra-pancreatic effects, one of which is to increase tissue sensitivity to insulin, but the clinical importance of these effects is minimal. Pharmacokinetics – Sulfonylureas differ mainly in their potency & their duration of action. Glipizide, glyburide (glibenclamide), and glimepiride are so-called second-generation sulfonylureas. They have a potency that allows them to be given in much lower doses. Those drugs with longer half-lives (particularly chlorpropamide, glyburide, and glimepiride) can be given once daily. This benefit may be counterbalanced by a substantially increased risk of hypoglycemia. Side effects – Sulfonylureas are usually well tolerated. Hypoglycemia is the most common side effect and is more common with long-acting sulfonylureas. Patients recently discharged from hospit Continue reading >>
After Diabetes Diagnosis
Diabetes is a disease where blood sugar levels are too high because the body can no longer make or use insulin properly. The condition could lead to serious complications and even death. An estimated 29.1 million Americans have diabetes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Diabetes in the U.S. There are several types of diabetes, including Type 1, Type 2 and gestational — a type that occurs in pregnant women. Type 2 is the most common, and about 95 percent of all people with diabetes in the U.S. have this type. An additional 86 million adults in the United States have prediabetes, a condition where your blood sugar is high but not elevated enough for a diabetes diagnosis. Cases of diabetes increase each year, and every 19 seconds doctors diagnose someone in the U.S. with the disease. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that 1 in 3 adults may be diagnosed with diabetes by 2050. It’s important to keep blood sugar levels controlled because it can cause serious health problems — including kidney disease, heart problems, skin problems and limb amputations. Even if Type 2 diabetes has no cure, it can be prevented and managed. People with the disease can control blood sugar with lifestyle changes and medication. What is Type 2 Diabetes? Type 2 diabetes is a disease in which your body loses its ability to produce and use insulin, a hormone made by the pancreas that the body uses to convert glucose into energy. Without the right amount of insulin, excess sugar builds up in the body and causes a number of health problems. Where Type 1 typically occurs in younger people and is an immune disorder, Type 2 most often occurs later in life. In fact, the medical community used to call Type 2 diabetes “adult-onset” diabetes. M Continue reading >>
Type 2 Diabetes Complications
With type 2 diabetes (also called type 2 diabetes mellitus), if you don’t work hard to keep your blood glucose level under control, there are short- and long-term complications to contend with. However, by watching the amount and types of food you eat (your meal plan), exercising, and taking any necessary medications, you may be able to prevent these complications. And even if you have some of the long-term, more serious complications discussed below when you’re first diagnosed, getting tight control of your blood glucose will help prevent the complications from becoming worse. (It is possible with type 2 diabetes to already have some of these complications when you’re first diagnosed. That’s because type 2 develops gradually, and you may not realize that you have high blood glucose for quite some time. Over time, high blood glucose can cause serious damage. You can learn more about that in this article on the symptoms of type 2 diabetes.) Short-term Diabetes Complications Hypoglycemia is low blood glucose (blood sugar). It is possible for your blood glucose to drop, especially if you’re taking insulin or a sulfonylurea drug (those make your body produce insulin throughout the day). With these medications, if you eat less than usual or were more active, your blood glucose may dip too much. Other possible causes of hypoglycemia include certain medications (aspirin, for example, lowers the blood glucose level if you take a dose of more than 81mg) and too much alcohol (alcohol keeps the liver from releasing glucose). Rapid heartbeat Sweating Whiteness of skin Anxiety Numbness in fingers, toes, and lips Sleepiness Confusion Headache Slurred speech Mild cases of hypoglycemia can be treated by drinking orange juice or eating a glucose tablet—those will quickly rai Continue reading >>
Type 2 Non Insulin Therapies
Pramlintide is an injected medicine for people with diabetes. In type 1 diabetes, Pramlintide can be taken in addition to insulin to help control mealtime blood sugars. If you have type 2 diabetes, and lifestyle changes are not enough to control your blood sugar, typically, your provider will first start you on a single medicine. For people who are overweight, metformin is usually the first medicine prescribed. If the single therapy doesn’t work, additional medicines can be added. Many people require treatment with 2, 3 or more different medicines. If pill combinations don’t work, an injected medicine such as an incretin-based medicine, amylin analog or insulin may be prescribed. Medicine combinations are used because different drugs target different parts of your body’s sugar regulation system. Rarely, and usually due to other medical conditions, it may be necessary to start medical treatment of type 2 diabetes with insulin therapy. Usually, however, insulin therapy is the last treatment prescribed and is added only after the oral medications or non-insulin injections don’t work. There are six types of non-insulin medicines used to treat type 2 diabetes: Incretin based therapies: Pills and injections that reduce sugar production in the liver and slow the absorption of food In this section, you also can review: A Table of Non-Insulin Medications: A summary of all the oral medications and non insulin injected therapies including the common doses and side effects. Self-assessment Quiz Self assessment quizzes are available for topics covered in this website. To find out how much you have learned about Treatment of Type 2 Diabetes, take our self assessment quiz when you have completed this section. The quiz is multiple choice. Please choose the single best answer to Continue reading >>
Learn What Jardiance Can Do
JARDIANCE is a prescription medicine used along with diet and exercise to lower blood sugar in adults with type 2 diabetes, and also to reduce the risk of cardiovascular death in adults with type 2 diabetes who have known cardiovascular disease. JARDIANCE is not for people with type 1 diabetes or for people with diabetic ketoacidosis (increased ketones in the blood or urine). Dehydration. JARDIANCE can cause some people to have dehydration (the loss of body water and salt). Dehydration may cause you to feel dizzy, faint, light-headed, or weak, especially when you stand up. You may be at a higher risk of dehydration if you: have low blood pressure, take medicines to lower your blood pressure, including water pills (diuretics), are on a low salt diet, have kidney problems, are 65 years of age or older. Ketoacidosis (increased ketones in your blood or urine). Ketoacidosis is a serious condition and may need to be treated in the hospital. Ketoacidosis may lead to death. Ketoacidosis occurs in people with type 1 diabetes and can also occur in people with type 2 diabetes taking JARDIANCE, even if blood sugar is less than 250 mg/dL. Stop taking JARDIANCE and call your doctor right away if you get any of the following symptoms, and if possible, check for ketones in your urine: nausea, vomiting, stomach-area (abdominal) pain, tiredness, or trouble breathing. Serious urinary tract infections. Serious urinary tract infections can occur in people taking JARDIANCE and may lead to hospitalization. Tell your doctor if you have symptoms of a urinary tract infection such as a burning feeling when passing urine, a need to urinate often or right away, pain in the lower part of your stomach or pelvis, or blood in the urine. Sometimes people also may have a fever, back pain, nausea or vomit Continue reading >>
New Drug Appears To Eliminate Type 2 Diabetes For First Time
Type 2 diabetes, although influenced by a person’s genes, is largely thought to be brought about by a poor diet and being overweight for prolonged periods of time, particularly at an old age. The pancreas is either unable to produce enough insulin, or the body’s cells simply don’t react to insulin, which leads to dangerously high blood sugar levels. This is known as insulin resistance, and at present, there is no medical way to treat this. A new drug forged by a team at the University of California, however, might prove to be a veritable game-changer. As reported by New Scientist, a daily dose of the drug, given to mice with insulin resistance, canceled out the harmful condition. This is the first time that any treatment has effectively “cured” type 2 diabetes. The team of researchers had an inkling that a particular enzyme was responsible for bringing about insulin resistance. The enzyme – cacophonously known as low molecular weight protein tyrosine phosphate, or LMPTP – can be found in the liver, and it appears to interact with cells in such a way that they become resistance to the presence of insulin. Conjuring up a brand new drug that was specifically designed to hinder the progress of LMPTP, the team thought that it would allow the cells’ insulin receptors to once again be able to react to insulin as they normally would. Much to their delight, they found that they were correct. “Our findings suggest that LMPTP is a key promoter of insulin resistance and that LMPTP inhibitors would be beneficial for treating type 2 diabetes,” the team noted in their Nature study. For this study, their drug was orally administered to a few unfortunate laboratory mice. These mice had been fed an extremely high-fat diet, and they had developed obesity and type 2 dia Continue reading >>
How To Treat Diabetic Diarrhea?
I have a problem that I never see addressed. I've had type 1 diabetes for 36 years and been diagnosed as having diabetic diarrhea. Numerous tests have ruled out all other gastrointestinal problems. Is there any treatment for this problem? Continue reading >>
Do I Need To Change My Type 2 Diabetes Medication?
Type 2 diabetes medications offer many options to manage your blood sugar (also known as blood glucose). But if your current treatment isn’t getting the job done or doesn’t feel right for you, talk to your doctor. She may tell you it’s time to change your treatment plan. It’s important to keep your blood sugar within a healthy range. This lowers your chances of diabetes complications. If your readings are too high on your current medication, your doctor might want to change the dose or try another. This can happen even if your medication worked very well at first. Sometimes it just doesn’t do the trick by itself anymore. If one drug doesn’t manage your blood sugar well enough, your doctor might add a second. If two don’t work, she could add a third. Some diabetes medications can make your blood glucose go too low. Your doctor will call this hypoglycemia. It can be dangerous. You might see it with: Your blood sugar might also go too low if you take combination treatments that have these drugs in them: Talk to your doctor if you have low readings. You might need a lower dose or different medication. Some are temporary and should go away within a few weeks after you start the drug. Upset stomach, gas, or diarrhea can happen with: DPP-4 inhibitors like linagliptin (Tradjenta), saxagliptin (Onglyza), and sitagliptin (Januvia) GLP-1 agonists like albiglutide (Tanzeum), dulaglutide (Trulicity), exenatide (Byetta), exenatide extended release (Bydureon), and liraglutide (Saxenda, Victoza) You might have the same problem with treatments that combine these drugs. Talk to your doctor if your side effects are severe or don’t go away in a few weeks. Drugs called SGLT2-inhibitors -- canagliflozin (Invokana), dapagliflozin (Farxiga), and empagliflozin (Jardiance) -- hav Continue reading >>
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Diabetes - Type 2
Description An in-depth report on the causes, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of type 2 diabetes. Alternative Names Type 2 diabetes; Maturity onset diabetes; Noninsulin-dependent diabetes Highlights Diabetes Statistics According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) National Diabetes Fact Sheet, nearly 26 million American adults and children have diabetes. About 79 million Americans aged 20 years and older have pre-diabetes, a condition that increases the risk for developing diabetes. Diabetes and Cancer Type 2 diabetes increases the risk for certain types of cancer, according to a consensus report from the American Diabetes Association and the American Cancer Society. Diabetes doubles the risk for developing liver, pancreatic, or endometrial cancer. Certain medications used for treating type 2 diabetes may possibly increase the risk for some types of cancers. Screening for Gestational Diabetes Mellitus The American Diabetes Association recommends that pregnant women without known risk factors for diabetes get screened for gestational diabetes at 24 - 28 weeks of pregnancy. Pregnant women with risk factors for diabetes should be screened for type 2 diabetes at the first prenatal visit. Aspirin for Heart Disease Prevention The American Diabetes Association now recommends daily low-dose (75 - 162 mg) aspirin for men older than age 50 and women older than age 60 who have diabetes and at least one additional heart disease risk factor (such as smoking, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, family history, or albuminuria). Guidelines for Treatment of Diabetic Neuropathy The anticonvulsant drug pregabalin (Lyrica) is a first-line treatment for painful diabetic neuropathy, according to recent guidelines released by the American Academy of Neurol Continue reading >>
Treatment
Treatment for diabetes aims to keep your blood glucose levels as normal as possible and control your symptoms to prevent health problems developing later in life. If you've been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, your GP will be able to explain your condition in detail and help you understand your treatment. They'll also closely monitor your condition to identify any health problems that may occur. If there are any problems, you may be referred to a hospital-based diabetes care team. Making lifestyle changes If you're diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, you'll need to look after your health very carefully for the rest of your life. This may seem daunting, but your diabetes care team will be able to give you support and advice about all aspects of your treatment. After being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, or if you're at risk of developing the condition, the first step is to look at your diet and lifestyle and make any necessary changes. Three major areas that you'll need to look closely at are: You may be able to keep your blood glucose at a safe and healthy level without the need for other types of treatment. Lifestyle changes Diet Increasing the amount of fibre in your diet and reducing your sugar and fat intake, particularly saturated fat, can help prevent type 2 diabetes, as well as manage the condition if you already have it. You should: increase your consumption of high-fibre foods, such as wholegrain bread and cereals, beans and lentils, and fruit and vegetables choose foods that are low in fat – replace butter, ghee and coconut oil with low-fat spreads and vegetable oil choose skimmed and semi-skimmed milk, and low-fat yoghurts eat fish and lean meat rather than fatty or processed meat, such as sausages and burgers grill, bake, poach or steam food instead of frying Continue reading >>
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Medication For Type 2 Diabetes
People with type 2 diabetes are often given medications including insulin to help control their blood glucose levels. Most of these medications are in the form of tablets, but some are given by injection. Tablets or injections are intended to be used in conjunction with healthy eating and regular physical activity, not as a substitute. Diabetes tablets are not an oral form of insulin.Speak with your doctor or pharmacist if you experience any problems. An alternative medication is usually available. All people with diabetes need to check their glucose levels on a regular basis. When taking medication, you may need to check your glucose levels more often to keep you safe and to ensure the medication is having the desired effect. In Australia there are seven classes of medicines used to treat type 2 diabetes: Biguanides Sulphonylureas Thiazolidinediones (Glitazones) Alpha-glucosidase Inhibitors. Dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP4) inhibitors Incretin mimetics Sodium-glucose transporter (SGLT2) inhibitors Your doctor will talk to you about which tablets are right for you, when to take your tablets and how much to take. Your doctor can also tell you about any possible side effects. You should speak to your doctor or pharmacist if you experience any problems. Chemical name: METFORMIN , METFORMIN ER Points to remember about biguanides This group of insulin tablets helps to lower blood glucose levels by reducing the amount of stored glucose released by the liver, slowing the absorption of glucose from the intestine, and helping the body to become more sensitive to insulin so that your own insulin works better They need to be started at a low dose and increased slowly Metformin is often prescribed as the first diabetes tablet for people with type 2 diabetes who are overweight. It gene Continue reading >>
Cinnamon And Diabetes: Effect On Blood Sugar And Overall Health
People with diabetes often face dietary restrictions to control their blood sugar and prevent complications. Although research is in a preliminary stage, cinnamon may help fight some symptoms of diabetes. It is also unlikely to cause blood pressure spikes, or disrupt blood sugar. So, people with diabetes who miss a sweet pop of flavor may find that cinnamon is a good replacement for sugar. Can cinnamon affect blood sugar? Cinnamon has shown promise in the treatment of blood sugar, as well as some other diabetes symptoms. Research on the effects of cinnamon on blood sugar in diabetes is mixed and in the early stages. Most studies have been very small, so more research is necessary. People with diabetes who are interested in herbal remedies, however, may be surprised to learn that doctors are serious about the potential for cinnamon to address some diabetes symptoms. A 2003 study published in Diabetes Care, compared the effects of a daily intake of 1, 3, and 6 grams (g) of cinnamon with a group that received a placebo for 40 days. All three levels of cinnamon intake reduced blood sugar levels and cholesterol. The effects were seen even 20 days after participants were no longer taking cinnamon. A small 2016 study of 25 people, published in the Journal of Intercultural Ethnopharmacology, found that cinnamon may be beneficial for people with poorly controlled diabetes. Participants consumed 1 g of cinnamon for 12 weeks. The result was a reduction in fasting blood sugar levels. However, a 2013 study published in the Journal of Traditional and Complementary Medicine had a different result. The study, which used a more reliable method, had slightly more participants, at 70. The researchers found that 1 g of cinnamon per day for 30 days and 60 days offered no improvements in blo Continue reading >>
Managing Type 2 Diabetes With Trulicity: What’s The Verdict?
Living with type 2 diabetes can be challenging. With the changes to your lifestyle, your diet and how you schedule your days, can sometimes seem like the weight of the world is on your shoulders. The FDA approved Lilly’s Once weekly Trulicity injection for those with Type 2 diabetes in 2014 and it’s slowly becoming a go to treatment for those with type 2 diabetes in combination with other medications. But some are concerned it’s not as great as it is made out to be. What Is Trulicity? Trulicity is a non-insulin injection for those with Type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is the most common diabetes form. In fact, according to the Centers for Disease Control, roughly 29.1 million adults in the U.S. have diabetes. Of that number, between 90% and 95% have Type 2 diabetes. Trulicity, also known as Dulaglutide, is from Eli Lilly and Company. The drug is in a pharmacologic class of medications known as GLP-1 receptor agonists. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the use of Trulicity in September of 2014 and the Eli Lilly and Company released the medication to pharmacies in the U.S. two months later. There are 2 dosages available for Trulicity: The first is .75 milligrams, where most people start dosing and the other is 1.5 milligrams, which may be increased by your doctor, if needed. I suggest reading the following: How Does Trulicity Work? Trulicity is designed to help your body release insulin, since those who have Type 2 diabetes, their bodies don’t utilize insulin correctly so that normal blood sugar levels can be maintained. Trulicity is not an insulin but is designed to work just like your body’s own GLP-1 hormone. The drug is used along with diet and exercise to manage blood sugar levels. How Is Trulicity Taken? Trulicity only needs to be taken once Continue reading >>
Anti-diabetic Medication
Drugs used in diabetes treat diabetes mellitus by lowering glucose levels in the blood. With the exceptions of Insulin, exenatide, liraglutide and pramlintide, all are administered orally and are thus also called oral hypoglycemic agents or oral antihyperglycemic agents. There are different classes of anti-diabetic drugs, and their selection depends on the nature of the diabetes, age and situation of the person, as well as other factors. Diabetes mellitus type 1 is a disease caused by the lack of insulin. Insulin must be used in Type I, which must be injected. Diabetes mellitus type 2 is a disease of insulin resistance by cells. Type 2 diabetes mellitus is the most common type of diabetes. Treatments include (1) agents that increase the amount of insulin secreted by the pancreas, (2) agents that increase the sensitivity of target organs to insulin, and (3) agents that decrease the rate at which glucose is absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract. Several groups of drugs, mostly given by mouth, are effective in Type II, often in combination. The therapeutic combination in Type II may include insulin, not necessarily because oral agents have failed completely, but in search of a desired combination of effects. The great advantage of injected insulin in Type II is that a well-educated patient can adjust the dose, or even take additional doses, when blood glucose levels measured by the patient, usually with a simple meter, as needed by the measured amount of sugar in the blood. Insulin[edit] Main article: insulin (medication) Insulin is usually given subcutaneously, either by injections or by an insulin pump. Research of other routes of administration is underway. In acute-care settings, insulin may also be given intravenously. In general, there are three types of insulin, Continue reading >>
Diabetes
The Facts Diabetes is a condition where people don't produce enough insulin to meet their body's needs and/or their cells don't respond properly to insulin. Insulin is important because it moves glucose, a simple sugar, into the body's cells from the blood. It also has a number of other effects on metabolism. The food that people eat provides the body with glucose, which is used by the cells as a source of energy. If insulin isn't available or doesn't work correctly to move glucose from the blood into cells, glucose will stay in the blood. High blood glucose levels are toxic, and cells that don't get glucose are lacking the fuel they need. There are two main kinds of diabetes: type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes. More than 90% of all people with diabetes have type 2. A 2015 Canadian Diabetes Association (CDA) report estimated that about 3.4 million Canadians have diabetes. Only about two-thirds of people with type 2 diabetes are aware of it and are receiving treatment because, for many people, early symptoms are not noticeable without testing. Type 1 diabetes occurs when the pancreas cannot make insulin. Everyone with type 1 diabetes requires insulin injections. Type 2 diabetes occurs when the pancreas does not make enough insulin or the body does not use insulin properly. It usually occurs in adults, although in some cases children may be affected. People with type 2 diabetes usually have a family history of this condition and are most often overweight. People with type 2 diabetes may eventually need insulin injections. This condition occurs most commonly in people of First Nations descent, Hispanics, and North Americans of African descent. Another less common form is gestational diabetes, a temporary condition that occurs during pregnancy. According to the CDA, depend Continue reading >>
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