Diabetes is becoming one of the fastest growing epidemics in the developing countries all over the world. It is a disease that affects everyone, both men and women from children to the elderly. Doctors and patients alike, must understand the role of diabetes drug treatments in helping to control the symptoms and effects of diabetes.
What Are The Types Of Diabetes Drug Treatment
Medicines that doctors prescribe to their diabetic patients are very much dependent on their conditions. There are 7 different types of medicines: insulin, sulfonylureas, biguanides, a combination of sulfonylurea and biguanide, alpha-glucosidase inhibitors, thiazolidinediones and meglitinides. All these types of diabetic medications help to control an individuals glucose levels.
1. Insulin Treatment
Insulin is the most common diabetes drug that most individuals take. What is insulin? Insulin is a type of energy source that allows the cells of the body to work. For diabetics insulin is either pumped or injected into the bloodstream by either needle injections or an insulin pump. Some forms of insulin are produced from synthetic measures while others come from animals.
Depending on the insulin needs a different class of insulin will be used for diabetes drug treatment. For use over night or other long periods then long acting insulin will be used. If people are at risk of dropping into a diabetic coma because of low glucose levels then rapid acting insulin will be used.
2. Sulfonylureas Treatment
How does this diabetes drug treatment works? It does so by stimulating the pancreas to produce insulin. For Type 2 diabetic patients this is the most common medication prescribed by doctors. This drug is the first choice largely because of its low risk of side effects, the only major side effects being hypoglycemia or low blood sugar.
3. Combination Sulfonylurea And Biguanide Treatment
These drugs are used to control the symptoms and target the glucose production in the liver rather than the pancreas. If a patient is overweight, this is the most common diabetes drug treatment prescribed by doctors. These two drugs combined in a single tablet has helped to not only reduce the amount of pills an individual takes but also allows individuals to save money on their prescription drug costs.
4. Alpha-Glucosidase Inhibitors Treatment
This diabetes drug treatment is used to reduce the amount of carbohydrates absorbed into the bloodstream. By maintaining how much glucose enters the bloodstream the blood glucose levels and be maintained in an individual. Abdominal cramping, diarrhea and gas are the most common side effects to this drug treatment method. When taking these drugs it is important to take them along with food.
5. Meglitinides
This diabetes drug treatment helps the body by stimulating it to release insulin after eating. Hypoglycemia can develop with these drugs since it is not one hundred percent effective at increasing the natural production of insulin. Since the drug does not always work, it is important that individuals keep candy, glucose tablets, insulin or other sugars on hand when taking these medications.
In whichever drug treatment you are on, it is important to follow your doctor’s advice rigorously. Diabetes drug treatment is a way to help patients take control of the disease and to lead a normal life.
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