Type 2 Diabetes Medications

People diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes have many medicines available to help control their blood sugar levels. These drugs fall into 3 methods of reducing blood sugar levels:

• Class 1 reduces the amount of glucose the liver releases into the bloodstream.
• Biguanide (Bi-gwa-need) like Metformin

• Class 2 increases insulin releaseed into the bloodstream by the pancreas .
• Sulfonylureas (SUL-fah-nil-YOO-ree-ahs)
• D-Phenylalnine (dee-fen-nel-AL-ah-neen)
• Meglitinides (meh-GLIT-in-ides)

• Class 3 increases the body’s cells sensitive to insulin.
• Thiazolidinedione (THIGH-ah-ZO-li-deen-DYE-owns)

• Class 4 slows the absorption of glucose into the bloodstream after eating carbs.
• Alpha-glucosidase Inhibitors (AL-fa gloo-KOS-ih-dayss in-HIB-it-ers)

• Class 5 (sitagliptin) increases incretin levels which reduces the amount of glucose released into the bloodstream, but also increases insulin secretion by the pancreas decreases stomach emptying.
• DPP-4 Inhibitors
  

Category	Action	Generic Name	Brand Name	Manufacturer	Approval Date	Comments
Sulfonylureas	Stimulates beta cells to release more insulin	Chlorpropamide	Diabinese	Pfizer	10/58	Generally taken one to two times daily, before meals
		Glipizide	Glucotrol	Pfizer	5/84	Second generation used in smaller doses than first generation
		Glyburide	DiaBeta/ Micronase/Glynase	Aventis, Pharmacia and Upjohn	5/84
		Glimepiride	Amaryl	Aventis	11/95
Alpha-glucosidase Inhibitors	Slows the absorption glucose into your bloodstream.	Acarbose	Precose			Take with the first bite of your meal.
		Glycet	Miglitol			Take with the first bite of your meal.
Meglitinide	Works with similar action to sulfonylureas	Repaglinide	Prandin	Novo Nordisk	12/97	Taken before each of three meals
		Nateglinide	Starlix	Novartis	12/00	Taken before each of three meals
Biguanide	Reduces the amount of sugar released by the liver.	Metformin	Glucophage	Bristol Myers Squibb	3/95	Taken two or three times daily with food for best results
		Metformin (long lasting)	Glucophage XR	Bristol Myers Squibb	10/00
		Metformin with glyburide	Glucovance	Bristol Myers Squibb	7/00
Thiazolidinedione (Glitazone)	Lowers insulin resistance  & Helps insulin work better in muscle and fat;	Rosiglitazone	Avandia	SmithKline Beecham (now GlaxoSmithKline)	5/99	Taken once or twice daily with food; very rare but serious effect on liver
		.	.	.	.
		Pioglitazone	Actos	Takeda Pharmaceuticals	7/99

You need to know:

• Diabetes medicines that lower blood glucose never take the place of healthy eating and exercise.
• If your blood glucose gets too low more than a few times in a few days, call your doctor.
• Take your diabetes pills or insulin even if you are sick. If you cannot eat much, call your doctor.