Type 2 Diabetes Medication

For those who are dealing with type 2 diabetes, the good news is that there are a variety of medications out there that can help to treat the problem. In fact, when it comes to type 2 diabetes medication, the past few years have brought about quite a few new discoveries and new medications are out there that are providing better treatment for diabetes.

Still today there are still some of the older drugs that are still being used and doing a great job. However, often when some of the older medications are used along with some of the newer ones, diabetics have an easier time controlling their blood sugar, which helps them to avoid dealing with some of the bad complications that can come along with this disease. Here is a look at some of the options out there today when it comes to type 2 diabetes medication.

Incretin Mimetics
These medications for diabetes work like incretin hormones, helping the body to actually make more insulin itself. Digestion is also slowed, allowing glucose to go into the blood slowly. One example of this type of medication is Byetta, which is taken by injection. It is often used along with oral medications for diabetes. This is only for those with type 2 diabetes and usually is taken twice each day.

DPP-4 Inhibitors
This class of drugs works to block certain enzymes that try to keep insulin from being able to circulate in the bloodstream. This helps to lower the sugar level in the blood. One example is Januvia, which has been the first of these drugs that has been approved by the FDA. It is taken orally once each day. Often it is used with other medications for diabetes or it can be used with exercise and a good diet.

Sulfonylureas
These types of medications are much older and used to be the only available options for helping to treat type 2 diabetes. They help to stimulate your pancreas so that you produce more insulin. One side effect is hypoglycemia. Some of the drugs in this category include Micronase, Amaryl, and Tolinase.

Antihyperglycemic Synthetic Analogs
Another newer type of medication for type 2 diabetes is Antihyperglycemic Synthetic Analogs. These medications happen to be a synthetic type of human substance, known as amylin, which the pancreas uses to help lower the levels of blood glucose. One example is Symlin, which can be injected to help control blood glucose.

Biguanides
This particular type of medication works to lower the amount of glucose produced within the liver and also increases sensitivity to insulin. It has the added benefit of helping to control cholesterol. Examples of this drug include metformin and glucophage.

These are just a few of the medications available today for those with type 2 diabetes. Of course you will need to talk to your doctor to see which options may be right for you. Hopefully you can control your diabetes without medications, but if you can't, there are medications that can help.