Diabetes treatments often evoke thoughts of insulin or other pharmaceuticals administered via injection or pump. However, there are alternatives that can be administered orally as a tablet or via inhalation.
Your physician will assess your requirements, which may necessitate multiple types of diabetes medication. The objective is to assist in the management of your diabetes.
- Acarbose (Precose)
Mechanism: Inhibits enzymes that facilitate starch digestion, hence attenuating the increase in blood glucose levels. It is classified as a “alpha-glucosidase inhibitor.” Adverse effects of these medications encompass gastrointestinal disturbances (flatulence, diarrhea, nausea, and abdominal cramps). - Alogliptin (Nesina)
Mechanism: Elevates insulin levels in response to elevated blood glucose and instructs the liver to reduce glucose production. Your physician may refer to this kind of medication as a “DPP-IV inhibitor.” These medications do not induce weight gain. They may be administered independently or in conjunction with another medication, such as metformin. - Bexagliflozin (Brenzavvy)
This medication reduces elevated blood glucose levels and is intended to be used in conjunction with diet and exercise to enhance glycemic control in persons with type 2 diabetes. It is identified as a sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitor. - Bromocriptine mesylate (Cycloset, Parlodel)
This tablet elevates dopamine levels, a neurotransmitter in the brain. It is authorized to enhance glycemic control in individuals with type 2 diabetes, in conjunction with diet and exercise. It is not utilized for the treatment of type 1 diabetes. - Canagliflozin (Invokana)
Mechanism: Increases the excretion of glucose in urine and inhibits renal reabsorption of glucose. Your physician may refer to this kind of medication as a “SGLT2 inhibitor.” Potential adverse consequences may encompass:- Vaginal candidiasis
- Urinary tract infections
- Dizziness and syncope
- Ketoacidosis or ketosis
- Elevated risk of bone fracture
- Reduced bone mineral density
- Chlorpropamide (Diabinese)
Mechanism: Reduces blood glucose levels by stimulating the pancreas to secrete more insulin. Your physician may refer to this category of medication as “sulfonylureas.” This medication is utilized less frequently than newer sulfonylureas. The adverse effects of sulfonylureas encompass:- Hypoglycemia
- Distressed abdomen
- Dermatological rash or pruritus
- Increase in body mass
- Colesevelam (Welchol)
Mechanism: Reduces “bad” (LDL) cholesterol and enhances glycemic regulation in persons with type 2 diabetes. Your physician will refer to this category of medication as a “bile acid sequestrant.”
- Dapagliflozin (Farxiga)
Mechanism: In people with type 2 diabetes, it enhances the excretion of glucose in urine and inhibits renal reabsorption of glucose. It can also aid in diminishing the incidence of heart failure. Your physician may refer to this kind of medication as a “SGLT2 inhibitor.” Adverse consequences encompass severe infections of the penis or vagina.
- Empagliflozin (Jardiance)
Mechanism: Increases the excretion of glucose in urine and inhibits renal reabsorption of glucose. Your physician may refer to this category of medication as a “SGLT2 inhibitor.” It has also been shown to diminish the risk of hospitalization for heart failure and cardiovascular mortality in individuals with heart failure, regardless of type 2 diabetes status.
- Glimepiride (Amaryl)
Mechanism: Reduces blood glucose levels by stimulating the pancreas to secrete more insulin. This type of medication may be referred to by your physician as “sulfonylureas.” The adverse effects of sulfonylureas encompass:- Hypoglycemia
- Gastrointestinal distress
- Dermatological rash or pruritus
- Increase in body mass
- Glipizide (Glucotrol and Glucotrol XL)
Mechanism: Reduces blood glucose levels by stimulating the pancreas to secrete more insulin. Your physician may refer to this category of medication as “sulfonylureas.” The adverse effects of sulfonylureas encompass:- Hypoglycemia
- Gastrointestinal distress
- Dermatological eruption or pruritus
- Increase in body mass
- Glyburide (DiaBeta, Glynase PresTab)
Mechanism: Reduces blood glucose levels by stimulating the pancreas to secrete more insulin. Your physician may refer to this category of medication as “sulfonylureas.” The adverse effects of sulfonylureas encompass:- Hypoglycemia
- Dyspepsia
- Dermatological rash or pruritus
- Increase in body mass
- Inhaled Insulin (Afrezza)
Administration method: Insert a cartridge containing a dose of this powdered, rapid-acting insulin into an inhaler, and utilize it before to meals or shortly after commencing consumption.
The insulin rapidly transfers from pulmonary cells into the circulatory system. It does not substitute for long-acting insulin, which is not inhalable. It is inadvisable to use it if you have a chronic lung condition, such as asthma or COPD, or if you are a smoker. It is not advisable for the treatment of diabetic ketoacidosis.
- Linagliptin (Tradjenta)
Mechanism: Elevates insulin levels when blood glucose is elevated and instructs the liver to reduce glucose production. Your physician may refer to this kind of medication as a “DPP-IV inhibitor.” These medications do not induce weight gain. They may be administered independently or in conjunction with another medication, such as metformin.
- Metformin (Fortamet, Glucophage, Glucophage XR, Glumetza, Riomet)
Mechanism: Enhance insulin’s efficacy in facilitating glucose transport into cells, particularly muscle cells. They inhibit the liver’s release of stored glucose. They should not be taken if one has renal impairment or cardiac insufficiency. Your physician may refer to this class of medication as a “biguanide.” Adverse consequences associated with biguanides encompass:
- Gastrointestinal distress (nausea, diarrhea)
- Metallic flavor in the oral cavity
- Miglitol (Glyset)
Mechanism: Inhibits enzymes responsible for starch digestion, hence decelerating the increase in blood glucose levels. It is classified as a “alpha-glucosidase inhibitor,” a category of medications designated by your physician. Adverse effects of alpha-glucosidase inhibitors encompass gastrointestinal disturbances (flatulence, diarrhea, nausea, abdominal cramps).
- Nateglinide (Starlix)
Mechanism: Stimulates the pancreas to secrete more insulin alone when blood glucose levels are elevated. Your physician may refer to this category of medication as a “meglitinide.” Adverse consequences of meglitinides encompass:- Hypoglycemia
- Gastrointestinal distress
- Pioglitazone (Actos)
Mechanism: Enhances insulin efficacy in muscle and adipose tissue. It reduces the quantity of sugar released by the liver and enhances the sensitivity of fat cells to insulin. These medications may require many weeks to effectively reduce blood glucose levels. Your physician should discuss the cardiovascular risks associated with this class of medication, commonly referred to as “thiazolidinediones.” Adverse effects from this class of medication are infrequent but may encompass:- Elevated liver enzyme levels
- Hepatic failure
- Respiratory infection
- Cefalgia
- Edema
- Repaglinide (Prandin)
Mechanism: Stimulates the pancreas to secrete more insulin alone when blood glucose levels are elevated. Your physician may refer to this class of medication as a “meglitinide.” Adverse effects associated with this class of medication encompass:- Hypoglycemia
- Gastrointestinal disturbance
- Rosiglitazone (Avandia)
Mechanism: Enhances insulin efficacy in muscle and adipose tissue. It diminishes the quantity of sugar released by the liver and enhances the sensitivity of fat cells to insulin’s effects. This type of medication may require many weeks to reduce blood glucose levels. Your physician should discuss the cardiovascular risks associated with this class of medication, commonly referred to as “thiazolidinediones.” Thiazolidinediones may infrequently cause side effects, which can include:- Elevated liver enzyme levels
- Hepatic failure
- Respiratory infection
- Cefalgia
- Edema
- Saxagliptin (Onglyza)
Mechanism: Elevates insulin levels in response to elevated blood glucose and instructs the liver to reduce glucose production. Your physician may refer to this category of medication as a “DPP-IV inhibitor.” These medications do not induce weight gain. They may be administered independently or in conjunction with another medication, such as metformin. - Sitagliptin (Januvia)
Mechanism: Elevates insulin levels in response to elevated blood glucose and instructs the liver to reduce glucose production. Your physician may refer to this category of medication as a “DPP-IV inhibitor.” These medications do not induce weight gain. They may be administered independently or in conjunction with another medication, such as metformin.
- Tolazamide (Tolinase)
Mechanism: Reduces blood glucose levels by stimulating the pancreas to secrete more insulin. Your physician may refer to this class of medication as “sulfonylureas.” This medication is utilized less frequently than contemporary sulfonylureas. Adverse effects associated with this type of medication include:
- Hypoglycemia
- Gastrointestinal distress
- Dermatological eruption or pruritus
- Increase in body mass
- Tolbutamide (Orinase)
Mechanism: Reduces blood glucose levels by stimulating the pancreas to secrete more insulin. This type of medication may be referred to by your physician as “sulfonylureas.” This medication is utilized less frequently than the more recent sulfonylureas. Adverse effects associated with this type of medication include:- Hypoglycemia
- Distressed abdomen
- Dermatological rash or pruritus
- Weight Gain
- Combination Pharmaceuticals
Numerous diabetes treatments amalgamate two pharmacological agents into a single tablet. They comprise:- Alogliptin with metformin (Kazano)
- Alogliptin in combination with pioglitazone (Oseni)
- Dapagliflozin with metformin (Xigduo XR)
- Empagliflozin with linagliptin (Glyxambi)
- Empagliflozin with metformin (Synjardy)
- Glipizide with Metformin (Metaglip)
- Glyburide and Metformin Combination (Glucovance)
- Linagliptin with Metformin (Jentadueto)
- Pioglitazone with glimepiride (Duetact)
- Repaglinide with Metformin (PrandiMet)
- Rosiglitazone with glimepiride (Avandaryl)
- Rosiglitazone with Metformin (Avandamet)
- Saxagliptin with metformin (Kombiglyze XR)
- Sitagliptin with metformin (Janumet, Janumet XR)