Diabetes medications in development and Most Frequently Prescribed - Is it awake effective?

When it comes to diabetes they are different types of medication currently available. If you are diagonalized with type II diabetes, you are given medication instead of insulin. And sometimes a combination of drugs are used. They use of these drugs is to help the body produce more insulin and eliminate glucose.

Most Frequently Prescribed Diabetes Medications

One of the most popular drugs used to treat diabetes is Sulfonylureas and they are different types available in the market today. Some of it being Glucotrol. This drug works in a way that it helps the body increase insulin. Although the drugs work well in lowering glucose a person may be at risk in developing hypoglycemia. Which is caused by the blood sugar level being too slow. So to this effect this drug is usually given with another drug. A popular drug used with Glucotrol is Glucophage, which helps the liver by reducing the amount of glucose. Since this combination of drugs is effective in maintaining a healthy blood glucose level, it is usually given to type 2 diabetes.

One other drug that is proving to work well with Glucophage is Prandin. This drug helps in lowering your blood glucose levels. But just like Glucophage Prandin can also cause hypoglycemia since it increases the amount of insulin in the body. So a person with diabetes should always follow what the physician has told them to do like only choosing the right medication and never over dosing. It is also important to note that Prandin must not be used when nursing children or while a woman is pregnant.

Another drug we may look at which is similar to Prandin is Starlix. One major advantage of Starlix is that it can be used with those people with kidney problems and people with type II diabetes.

Medications are now being developed to help decrease the absorption of carbohydrates in the intestines. One of the best performers is Precose which did remarkably well. But when coming to sulfonlureas this medication did not do well. Sulfonlureas is considered one of the best medications to treat diabetes. But cannot be used if you are allergic to sulfur.

Symlin and Byetta are new medications that concentrate in controlling the glycemic index. But much more testing has to be done with this drug to be considered in traditional therapies.

Type II diabetes people should not be frightened by the diagnosis of this condition. Because there are different types of medications that can keep this disease today. For this medications to work, it is important for patients to be complaint. To help you maintain a healthy blood glucose level one should not take increased dosage, lower dosage or a different combination of medication. and make sure that you monitor your blood glucose level.

To control it yourself, you should make sure you work along with your physician and report your results when monitoring your blood glucose level. Make sure you do everything you physician tells you to keep this condition at bay.

By the way, upon first being diagnosed with diabetes, many patients ask can a good diet keep diabetes at bay. Most doctors will agree that a good diet, low in carbohydrates and sugars can help a person with diabetes avoid many of the complications that often accompany the disease. While a good diet can not necessarily cure the illness, a good diet can keep diabetes at bay.

So, can a good diet keep diabetes at bay. The answer is yes. While it cannot cure a patient of diabetes, a good diet low in foods that have high ratings in the Glycemic Index and high in proteins can help an individual with this condition live a longer, healthier life.

And if you are looking for a reverse / cure diabetes solution: DIABETES SOLUTION - East-West Perspective

The Latest in Diabetes Drugs: Less Hypoglycemia, More Weight Loss

New research presented at the recent European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) conference showed promising results, including lower A1c, better heart health, weight loss, and less hypoglycemia (low blood sugar). Click to read more about the most notable updates on new therapies:

• Semaglutide – a once-weekly GLP-1 injection for type 2 diabetes (under FDA review after a very positive Advisory Committee meeting in which four diaTribe Foundation volunteers participated)
• Bydureon – a once-weekly GLP-1 injection for type 2 diabetes (available now, with a newly-approved, easier way to take it)
• Add-on pills for type 1 – SGLT “class” Farxiga (available now) and sotagliflozin (in development)
• Tresiba – a once-daily basal insulin for type 1 and type 2 (available now)
• Sulfonylureas versus pioglitazone – type 2 diabetes pills (available now)
• Glimepiride versus ertugliflozin – type 2 diabetes pills (available now and in development, respectively)

The EASD meeting also included discussions of much more than diabetes drug therapies. You can read diaTribe’s coverage of a study showing improved outcomes from CGM use during pregnancy and The diaTribe Foundation’s event on “Solvable Problems in Diabetes.”  

Semaglutide– a once-weekly injection for type 2 diabetes (under FDA review)

Researchers presented new weight loss data on semaglutide, a once-weekly GLP-1 agonist that is currently under FDA review. The SUSTAIN 6 trial showed that people with type 2 diabetes on the lower dose of semaglutide lost more weight – an average of 8 pounds (4% of their body weight) – compared to about 1 pound lost on placebo. People taking the higher dose of semaglutide lost an average of 11 pounds (5% of their body weight) compared to 1.5 pounds on placebo. Additionally, an impressive one in five people on higher-dose semaglutide lost 10% or more of their body weight, compared to about one in 15 people on placebo. Notably, this weight loss was sustained over a two-year period.

Based on previous results showing that semaglutide lowers A1c, Novo Nordisk has submitted the drug to the FDA and EMA for approval. A decision is expected at the end of this year.

Bydureon – a once-weekly GLP-1 injection for type 2 diabetes (available now, with a newly-approved, easier way to take it)

Results from the EXSCEL trial showed that Bydureon, a once-weekly injectable GLP-1 agonist for people with type 2 diabetes, is not any riskier for the heart than placebo (a “nothing” pill). In fact, Bydureon narrowly missed the threshold for showing heart benefits. These positive results follow research announced earlier this year showing that 20% more people taking Bydureon achieved an A1c target of less than 7% than those on placebo.

Both sets of results contribute to evidence showing that the entire group or “class” of GLP-1 agonists reduce A1c and body weight and have neutral (Bydureon) to positive (Victoza) effects on the heart. On a related note, an easy-to-use autoinjector called Bydureon BCise (rhymes with “precise”), featuring easier mixing and injection and a pre-attached needle, has been approved by the FDA – stay tuned for full coverage.

Add-on pills for type 1 – SGLT “class” Farxiga (available now) and  sotagliflozin (in development)

Trial results for two non-insulin drugs that come in pill form offer exciting new options for people with type 1 diabetes to manage blood sugars. inTandem3 looked at sotagliflozin, a once-daily SGLT-1/2 dual inhibitor that has not yet been approved by the FDA. DEPICT 1 studied Farxiga, a once-daily SGLT-2 inhibitor that is approved for treating type 2 diabetes but not type 1. Both studies reported A1c reductions and weight loss – great for the push to approve add-on therapies for type 1. See our previous coverage for more details on this promising new group of add-on therapies for people with type 1.

Tresiba – a once-daily basal insulin for type 1 and type 2 (available now)

New analysis from the DEVOTE trial drove home the significance of severe hypoglycemia, expanding upon previous results showing that basal insulin Tresiba reduced the risk of severe hypoglycemia by 40% relative to basal insulin Lantus.

The analysis of DEVOTE 2 and DEVOTE 3 results showed significant links between daily blood sugar variability and death, suggesting that Tresiba benefits patients by reducing these swings (glycemic variability). This evidence reinforces that drugs that lower the risk of hypoglycemia – and therefore the possibility of hospitalizations and death – are critical in the diabetes treatment toolbox.

Sulfonylureas compared to pioglitazone – type 2 diabetes pills (available now)

The TOSCA.IT study examined the heart safety of pioglitazone, a once-daily pill (TZD), versus sulfonylureas in patients with type 2 diabetes on metformin. Both drugs are generic, low-cost options for additional therapy when metformin isn’t enough, but sulfonylureas have been attracting growing concern about safety. This large heart health outcomes trial compared pioglitazone with three sulfonylureas (glimepiride, glibenclamide, and gliclazide).

• There was no difference in heart safety between pioglitazone and sulfonylureas, but pioglitazone did result in longer-lasting A1c-lowering and reduced hypoglycemia (low blood sugar).
• Pioglitazone users had a 90% reduction in severe hypoglycemia – 2% of people on sulfonylureas had an incident of severe hypoglycemia (blood sugar less than 60 mg/dl AND requiring assistance), while less than 0.2% of pioglitazone patients experienced severe hypoglycemia.
• There was also less than half as much moderate hypoglycemia (blood sugar less than 60 mg/dl, but not requiring assistance) in the pioglitazone group (10%) compared to the sulfonylurea group (32%).

Two other classes of A1c-lowering drugs, SGLT-2 inhibitors and GLP-1 agonists (Jardiance, Invokana, Victoza), have demonstrated heart benefits for people with diabetes. Based on this trial, neither TZD’s nor sulfonylureas showed similar benefits, but sulfonylurea was the clear loser on hypoglycemia. On the other hand, Jardiance, Invokana, and Victoza are not yet generic, meaning they tend to be more expensive. 

Glimepiride compared to ertugliflozin – type 2 diabetes pills (ertugliflozin in development)

The Vertis SU study compared glimepiride (a sulfonylurea) with a more advanced A1c-lowering drug, ertugliflozin (an SGLT-2 inhibitor in development). The trial looked at the A1c-lowering, weight loss, and blood pressure effects of the two drugs in people already taking metformin. After one year of treatment, the researchers found the following results:

• There was no significant difference in A1c lowering between people taking glimepiride and people taking the higher dose of ertugliflozin (A1c was lowered 0.6% and 0.7%, respectively).
• People on ertugliflozin lost an average of 7 to 8 pounds, while people on glimepiride gained an average of 2 pounds.
• There was a significantly higher occurrence of hypoglycemia in the glimepiride group (19%) than on ertugliflozin (3% to 5%).
• Blood pressure decreased by an average of 2 to 4 mmHg on ertugliflozin, and increased by an average of 1 mmHg in the group taking glimepiride.

Assuming it becomes accessible, this SGLT-2 – instead of a sulfonylurea, which has safety concerns – can offer many benefits for people with type 2 diabetes: a similar effect on A1c (with high dose ertugliflozin), weight loss, blood pressure, and hypoglycemia benefits.

This life changing discovery is something you have never heard about and also something your doctors do not want you to hear about. I am going to tell you right now everything you thought you knew about diabetes treatment is completely false.

Type 2 Diabetes - Do Diabetes Medications Really Work?

Currently, there are over 300 million people in the world who suffer from Type 2 diabetes. Many of these individuals rely on diabetes medications to help them stabilize their blood sugar and try to maintain as much of a life of normalcy as possible. But are diabetes pills really the answer?

In order to answer this, you have to take a close look at Type 2 diabetes. This is a metabolic condition where the body either does not produce enough insulin for its needs, or the insulin being produced cannot be properly utilized by the body. In either situation, the condition has to be corrected or else, not only will the Type 2 diabetes become worse, but the presence of this condition will ultimately, and surely, lead to other medical conditions. These conditions include:

• heart disease,
• stroke, and
• kidney failure, among others.

When you begin taking most diabetes pills or insulin, one unfortunate side effect is that you may gain weight. This is due to blood sugar rushing into your cells. Although you have been eating a lot of food, your body has been in a fasting state, with excess sugar being backed up in your bloodstream. Sugar couldn't reach your body's cells. The medications will help release this state of artificial fasting and produce weight gain.

Always remember diabetes medications work best with:

• changes in your eating plan,
• reduced stress, and
• increased physical activity.

There are many Type 2 diabetics who are helped with these medications and should never stop using them without their doctors input. They might not cure Type 2 diabetes, but they do make living with the condition much more pleasant.

Type 2 diabetes medications are not a cure. Most of them work for several years, and then slowly lose their effectiveness. When the medications no longer provide adequate blood sugar control, you will then be started on insulin.

For reasons doctors don't fully understand, oral diabetes medications do not work on approximately one-third of the people who try them. This failure happens both in the beginning and after a period of time. In other cases, diabetes medications slowly lose their effectiveness for about 5 to 10 percent of diabetics taking them each year.

Sometimes medication failure is temporary due to illness, stress, or an infection. Then insulin may be prescribed temporarily in order to get the diabetic over the situation that instigated the failure. Then the oral diabetes pills may be started again.

When a certain medication doesn't work or stops working, one possibility is to switch to another type of diabetes medication or to maybe combine different types of diabetes medications.

When diabetes medications begin to lose effectiveness, some doctors prefer a period of time with both the diabetes pills plus insulin injections in the evening, rather than switching immediately to multiple insulin injections and totally abandoning the diabetes pills.

However, diabetes medications do not address the immediate problem that caused the Type 2 diabetes to develop in the first place.

Statistics show a large number of Type 2 diabetics are overweight or obese. Since carrying this excess weight severely alters a person's chemistry, hormones and the functionality of their major organs and primary systems, medications are not always going to provide substantial relief from high blood sugar and weight loss until the diabetic improves their overall health.

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