Email a Friend
Print ArticleDiabetes Health Center
Type 2 Diabetes: Living With the Disease - Medications
Several oral medicines are available to treat type 2 diabetes. These medicines increase insulin production, decrease insulin resistance, or slow intestinal absorption of carbohydrate.
You may need more than one medicine to adequately control your diabetes. Together, two or more medicines may work more effectively than a single medicine to lower blood sugar level. Taking two medicines together may reduce side effects by allowing lower doses of each. But in some cases, taking two medicines can increase the risk of side effects, such as low blood sugar (hypoglycemia).
You may need to take insulin temporarily if you have surgery or are severely ill, pregnant, or breast-feeding. You also may need to take insulin daily as a shot if lifestyle and pills (oral medicines) are not controlling your blood sugar, or if your pancreas stops producing insulin.
Medicines also may be needed to prevent or slow the development of complications.
Medication Choices
Aspirin may be recommended to prevent heart attack, stroke, or other large blood vessel disease (macrovascular disease).1 If you are age 40 or older, talk to your health professional about whether you should take a low-dose aspirin daily.
Medicines that increase insulin production are:
- Sulfonylureas, such as glipizide (Glucotrol), glyburide (DiaBeta, Glynase, or Micronase), glimepiride (Amaryl), the combination medicine glyburide and metformin (Glucovance), the combination of sitagliptin and metformin (Janumet), or the combination of glipizide and metformin (Metaglip).
- Meglitinides, such as repaglinide (Prandin), nateglinide (Starlix), and the medicine that combines repaglinide and metformin (Prandimet).
Medicines that decrease insulin resistance are:
- Biguanides, such as metformin (Glucophage or Glucophage XR), the combination medicine glyburide and metformin (Glucovance), the medicine that combines rosiglitazone and metformin (Avandamet), the medicine that combines metformin and glipizide (Metaglip), and the medicine that combines repaglinide and metformin (Prandimet).
- Thiazolidinediones, such as rosiglitazone (Avandia), pioglitazone (Actos), or the combination of rosiglitazone and metformin (Avandamet).
Medicines that slow intestinal absorption of carbohydrate are:
- Alpha-glucosidase inhibitors, such as acarbose (Precose) or miglitol (Glyset).
New medicines recently approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) include:
- Incretin mimetics, such as exenatide (Byetta). Exenatide lowers both fasting blood sugar and blood sugar after you eat. Your doctor may recommend Byetta if you have not been able to control your blood sugar with oral medicines such as metformin or a sulfonylurea. Byetta may be taken by itself or with other oral medicines. It is given as a shot 2 times a day, before morning and evening meals.
- Amylinomimetics, such as pramlintide (Symlin). Pramlintide lowers blood sugar after you eat. Your doctor may recommend pramlintide if you already take insulin but still cannot control your blood sugar. Pramlintide is only used with insulin. You take it as a shot before meals.
- Dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPP-4) inhibitors, such as sitagliptin (Januvia). Sitagliptin lowers blood sugar. It does this by allowing the body to release insulin for longer than usual after blood sugar rises.
WebMD Medical Reference from Healthwise
Type 2 Diabetes: Living With the Disease 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.
Vinegar is in everything from coleslaw to pickles. What if you could actually use it to help prevent disease?
