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Type 2 Diabetes in Children - Medications
The same medicines are used to treat adults and children with type 2 diabetes. These medicines increase insulin production, make the body better able to use insulin (decrease insulin resistance), or slow the intestinal absorption of carbohydrate.
Sometimes a child needs more than one medicine to adequately control diabetes. Two or more medicines taken together may work more effectively than a single medicine. Taking two medicines together also may reduce possible side effects by allowing lower doses of each. But in some cases taking two medicines can increase the risk of certain side effects, such as low blood sugar (hypoglycemia).
Some children need daily insulin shots-alone or with oral medicines. Even if your doctor does not prescribe daily insulin, your child may need to take insulin temporarily when first diagnosed or during illness or surgery. At some point in adulthood, he or she will likely need insulin because, over time, the pancreas does not produce enough insulin. Insulin also may be needed during pregnancy and breast-feeding.
If your child has high cholesterol or high blood pressure, medicine for those conditions may be needed. Even blood pressure slightly above normal increases the risk for eye and kidney damage from diabetes.
Medication Choices
Medicines that decrease insulin resistance:
- Biguanides, such as metformin (Glucophage or Glucophage XR) or the combination medicine metformin and glyburide, a sulfonylurea (Glucovance)
- Thiazolidinediones, such as pioglitazone (Actos) and rosiglitazone (Avandia)
Medicines that increase insulin production:
- Sulfonylureas, such as glipizide (Glucotrol), glyburide (for example, DiaBeta, Glynase, or Micronase), glimepiride (Amaryl), the combination medicine glyburide and metformin (Glucovance), or the combination of glipizide and metformin HCL (Metaglip)
- Meglitinides, such as repaglinide (Prandin) and nateglinide (Starlix)
- Incretin mimetics, such as exenatide (Byetta)
Medicines that slow intestinal absorption of carbohydrate:
- Alpha-glucosidase inhibitors, such as acarbose (Precose) or miglitol (Glyset)
Some doctors treat children with insulin injections.
Medicines to control blood pressure and cholesterol
Some children may need medicines to lower their blood pressure and cholesterol to reduce the risk for later complications.
- Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors or angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs) may be used to lower your child's blood pressure.
- Statins may be used if a healthy diet and physical activity do not lower cholesterol. Sexually active teens should be warned against becoming pregnant while taking these medicines.
What To Think About
Metformin is the only oral medicine that has been adequately studied in children and approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use in children. Other oral medicines are safe for adults, and some doctors also use them to treat children. Exenatide, which is injectable, has not been studied in children but is used in adults with type 2 diabetes.
Metformin is the medicine of choice for children with type 2 diabetes. It usually keeps blood sugar levels within a target range without increasing the likelihood that the child will gain weight. If after 3 to 6 months of treatment with metformin the child's blood sugar levels are not consistently within a target range, other medicine usually is added.
Insulin may be given as a single nighttime dose, as several smaller doses throughout the day, or both. Insulin doses for children with type 2 diabetes are usually high-to overcome the body's resistance to insulin-which may increase the risk for weight gain.
Although alpha-glucosidase inhibitors are safe for children, they may cause abdominal gas, making them less acceptable to teens than other oral diabetes medicines.
WebMD Medical Reference from Healthwise
Type 2 Diabetes in Children Topics
Indication
Uroxatral® (alfuzosin HCl 10 mg extended-release tablets) is an alpha1-blocker for the treatment of the signs and symptoms of BPH.
Important Safety Information
Do not take UROXATRAL if you have liver problems or if you are taking antifungal drugs like ketoconazole or itraconazole, or HIV drugs like ritonavir.
UROXATRAL can cause a sudden drop in blood pressure, especially when starting treatment. This may lead to fainting, dizziness, and lightheadedness. Do not drive, operate machinery, or do any dangerous activity until you know how UROXATRAL will affect you. This is especially important if you already have a problem with low blood pressure or take medicines to treat high blood pressure. There may be an increased risk of low blood pressure and fainting when taking UROXATRAL in combination with blood pressure medication or nitrates, or erectile dysfunction medication.
If considering cataract surgery (clouding of the eyes), tell your eye surgeon that you are currently taking UROXATRAL or have previously been treated with an alpha-blocker.
Before taking UROXATRAL, tell your doctor if you have kidney problems.
Also, tell your doctor if you or any family member(s) have or take medications for a rare heart condition known as congenital prolongation of the QT interval.
BPH and prostate cancer can cause the same symptoms. However, UROXATRAL is not a treatment for prostate cancer.
The most common side effects with UROXATRAL are dizziness, upper respiratory tract infection, headache, and tiredness.
Please see UROXATRAL full prescribing information.
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