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Medicines Used to Treat Type 1 & Type 2 Diabetes

According to statistics from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), 12 percent of patients with diabetes take oral medications as well as insulin to control their condition, while 57 percent take only oral medications. While oral medication is mostly for type 2 diabetics who are trying to control their diabetes with diet and exercise, there are some oral medications for type 1 diabetics.

  1. Type 1

    • Currently the FDA has not approved any oral medication for use in type 1 patients. However, there is prescription insulin that type 1 diabetics need to survive. This injectible insulin is the same as naturally produced insulin and is used to get glucose into the cells. According to the Hormone Foundation there are three types of insulin: bolus insulin, basal insulin and pre-mixed insulin.

    Types of Insulin

    • Bolus insulin is the insulin you take during mealtime. It will counteract the rise in blood sugar from the food in the meal. There is rapid-acting and short-acting insulin in this category. Basal insulin is the insulin that controls blood sugar when it's not mealtime or throughout the night. There is long-acting and intermediate-acting insulin in this category. Pre-mixed insulin is a combination of bolus and basal insulin. Typical pre-mixed insulin comes in 70/30, 75/25, or 50/50 combinations. The numbers tell the percentage amounts of bolus and basal insulin.

    Type 2 Medications

    • There are differing types of "antidiabetic" medications. These are categorized as biguandes, sulfonylureas, thiazolidinediones and DPP-4 inhibitors. These all work a little differently and can be used with or without insulin or other medications. A healthcare provider will find a regime that is right for the individual diabetic and work with them to find a lifestyle that keeps their blood sugar as controlled as possible.

    Biguandes and Sulfonylureas

    • Biguandes are a type of antidiabetic drug which incorporates the most widely used agent to treat diabetes, metformin. This is a drug that will reduce blood sugar production in the liver and while it cannot be used in those who already have kidney or liver problems, it is a very promising drug in the field of diabetes.
      Sulfonylureas are those that include the drugs glyburide and glipizide. They work by increasing insulin production in the pancreas. While similar in approach to metformin, they too work well in most diabetics.

    Thiazolidinediones and DPP-4 Inhibitors

    • Thiazolidinediones are the types that include the drug pioglitazone, otherwise known as Actos. This helps the body in its response to insulin. Actos has some unpleasant side effects, including heart failure. A talk with a doctor about choices and what is best for your diabetes can help choose wisely.
      DPP-4 inhibitors are the ones with sitagliptin as a drug. These work by lowering the glucagon release from the pancreas. Glucagon is the hormone that raises blood sugar levels in the body. This will increase insulin that is secreted.

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