Medications For Type 2 Diabetes

The medication involves diabetes tablets that work in various ways to help keep blood glucose levels within the recommended range in type 2 diabetes. e.g., some stimulate your pancreas to produce more insulin, others slow down glucose entering your bloodstream, and some enable your body cells to take up insulin better. Your doctor will consider different factors when deciding which medication to recommend for you, including your weight, lifestyle, and blood glucose level. If you are overweight, then drugs that cause weight gain won’t be the first choice. If your eating pattern is irregular, then a drug that has a short duration of action will be better than a longer-acting one.
Different medications have different actions, doses, and side effects. Speak to your doctor if you have any concerns about the medication you take.

#Sulphonylureas
They increase the amount of insulin the pancreas produces; also increase the effectiveness of insulin. #Examples; Glibenclamide, gliclazide, glipizide, glimepiride, tolbutamide
HOW & WHEN TO TAKE: Tablets; taken once or twice a day, with or shortly before a meal
POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS: Weight Gain and Hypos

Prandial glucose regulators (#meglitinides)
Similar to sulphonylureas, increase the amount of insulin the pancreas produces. #Examples; Nateglinide, repaglinide
HOW & WHEN TO TAKE: Tablets; taken within 30 minutes of starting a meal
POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS: Weight gain; hypos. Side effects less frequent than those produced by sulphonylureas

#Biguanides
They increase the body cells’ sensitivity to insulin; also reduce glucose production by the liver. #Examples; Metformin immediate
release (Tablets; taken two to three times a day with or after food) and Metformin prolonged-release (Tablets; taken once a day with or after food)
POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS: Nausea; diarrhoea; abdominal pain

#Alpha_glucosidase_inhibitors
They slow down the digestion of carbohydrates in starchy foods, which slows glucose entering the bloodstream. #Example; Acarbose
HOW & WHEN TAKEN: Tablets; taken at the start of, or immediately before, a meal
POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS: Flatulence; diarrhoea

#Glitazones (#thiazolidinediones)
They reduce body cells’ resistance to insulin so help cells to take up insulin better. #Example: Pioglitazone
HOW & WHEN TAKEN: Tablets; taken once or twice a day, with or without food
POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS: Visual disturbance; weight gain; fluid retention; increased risk of bone fractures

#Gliptins (DPP-4 inhibitors)
They increase insulin release from the pancreas; slow down digestion and decrease appetite; lower blood glucose levels. #Examples: Sitagliptin, vildagliptin, saxagliptin, alogliptin, linagliptin
HOW & WHEN TAKEN: Tablets; taken once or twice a day, with or without food
POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS: Rash; upper respiratory infections; headache; nausea

#Gliflozins (SGLT2 inhibitors)
They cause kidneys to excrete excess glucose into the urine. #Examples: Dapagliflozin, canagliflozin, empagliflozin
HOW & WHEN TAKEN: Tablets; taken once a day, with or without food
POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS: Urinary tract infections; thrush (yeast infection); genital tract infections and itching.

#Incretin mimetics (GLP-1 analogues)
They increase insulin release from pancreas in response to food and reduce glucose production by the liver. #Examples: Exenatide, liraglutide, lixisenatide, dulaglutide
HOW & WHEN TAKEN: By injection; once or twice a day or once a week, depending on the specific medication
POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS: Nausea and/or vomiting, which are often short-lived.

REMEMBERING TO TAKE YOUR MEDICATION
– Every morning, count out your medication for the day, and check you have taken it all at the end of the day.
– Put the medication in a place that will remind you to take it.
– Prepare your medication at the same time you get your meal ready.
– If necessary, set an alert or alarm on your mobile phone, computer, or another device to remind you to take your medication.
– If possible, ask someone to remind you at the time you need to take your medication.
– Keep a supply of medication with you so that you can take it wherever you are.

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