Knowing the Different Types of Diabetes Treatment Drugs

If the thought of injecting insulin terrifies you, finding out that you have diabetes could seem like the worst possible diagnosis. If you are type 2 diabetic however, you may be pleased to know that there are a huge number of different diabetes treatment drugs that you can try before you need to resort to insulin. Here are a few of the diabetes treatments that are available to type 2 diabetics today, along with the possible side effects you may experience when using these.

Some diabetes treatment drugs work by promoting insulin production in the body. One example of this type of diabetes treatment is sulphonylureas, which comes in a number of forms including glimepiride, chlorpropamide, and glibenclamide. There are a few side effects associated with sulphonylureas, the most significant being a lumpy red rash on the skin which occurs in rare cases. They can also cause nausea, weight gain and an upset stomach. Sulphonylureas are unlikely to be recommended for older diabetics as they work over a long period of time and cause blood sugar to drop too low causing a hypo.

Often known as metformin, biguanide is another diabetes treatment drug, but it works very differently to sulphonylureas. Biguanide reduced the release of glucose by the liver, as well as assisting the movement of insulin throughout the cells of the body. Taking biguanide with food can reduce the potential side effects which include nausea, diarrhoea and stomach problems.

Thiazolidinediones are a relatively new diabetes type 2 treatment drug, that comes in two distinct forms, rosiglitazone and pioglitazone. This drug is designed to overcome insulin resistance in the body, enabling type 2 diabetics to use their naturally produced insulin more effectively. Side effects of this diabetes treatment include weight gain, fluid retention and headaches. It can also lead to upper respiratory track infections in rare cases.

Prandial glucose regulators need to be taken three times daily to stimulate insulin production in the pancreas. They act quickly over a short time period, reducing the risk of a hypo, and so should be taken at the same time as a meal is eaten. The various types of prandial glucose regulators, including repaglinide and nateglinide, can cause an upset stomach, nausea and skin rashes. Weight gain can also be a side effect, but this can often be controlled by prescribing a flexible dose.

An alpha glucose inhibitor, such as acarbose, is a diabetes treatment that can be taken three times a day. It slows down the rate at which starchy food is absorbed into the blood stream from the intestine, meaning that blood sugar levels rise more slowly after a meal. Your doctor is likely to prescribe a reduced dose of one tablet a day at first, because this will cut down on the side effects such as bloating, wind and diarrhoea.

Type 2 diabetics are often deficient in a hormone known as incretin, which limits the amount of glucose produced by the liver, whilst also controlling insulin production. Taking a diabetes treatment known as DPP-4 inhibitors can increase incretin levels, enabling type 2 diabetics to better control their blood sugar. This diabetes treatment should nit be used by patients taking insulin, but can be very effective when used with drugs such as thiazolidinediones. The side effects associated with DPP-4 inhibitors depend largely on which other diabetes treatment drugs they are taken with.

At some point most type 2 diabetics will find that they do need to switch to insulin to treat their condition. This is often because after many years of diabetes treatment drugs the pancreas is no longer able to produce sufficient insulin. Although the idea of insulin injections can be terrifying to some people, the needles used are actually quite small as the injection occurs just under the skin. Insulin is injected into the stomach, buttocks or thighs, and the injection sites are varied to reduce insulin build up. For those that can't face injections, the switch form diabetes treatment drugs to insulin can be eased by the use of an inhaler or insulin pump.

By: Lisa Janse