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Content
Diabetes
Diabetes Information
-Diabetes Facts
-History of Diabetes
-Causes of Diabetes
-Diabetes Complications
-Diabetes Education
-Diabetes Research
Diabetes Mellitus
-Diabetes Mellitus Symptoms
-Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus
-Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus
-Diabetes Mellitus Treatment
Types of Diabetes
Type 1 Diabetes
-Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus
-Type 1 Diabetes Symptoms
-Type 1 Diabetes Diet
-Type 1 Diabetes Cure
Type 2 Diabetes
-Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus
-Type 2 Diabetes Symptoms
-Type 2 Diabetes Causes
-Type 2 Diabetes Diet
-Treatment of Type 2 Diabetes
-Type 2 Diabetes Medications
Gestational Diabetes
-Gestational Diabetes Test
-Gestational Diabetes Symptoms
-Gestational Diabetes Diet Plan
-Gestational Diabetes Treatment
Juvenile Diabetes
-Juvenile Diabetes Symptoms
-Juvenile Diabetes Treatment
Diabetes Insipidus
-Nephrogenic Diabetes Insipidus
-Treatment for Diabetes Insipidus
Feline Diabetes
Diabetes Symptoms
-Signs of Diabetes
Also: Diabetes Sign Symptoms
-Type 2 Diabetes Symptoms
Also: Type II Diabetes Symptoms
-Gestational Diabetes Symptoms
-Symptoms, Juvenile Diabetes
Also: Diabetes Symptoms in Child
Glucose
(see also Blood Glucose)
-Glucose Level
Also: Blood Glucose Level
-Glucose Meter
Also: Blood Glucose Meter
-Glucose Monitor
Also: Blood Glucose Monitor
-Glucose Test
Also: Glucose Tolerance Test
-Glucose Intolerance
Diabetes Diet
-Diabetes Food
-Diabetes Nutrition
-Diabetes Diet Plan
-Type 2 Diabetes Diet
Diabetes Supply
-Diabetes Testing Supply
Diabetes Treatment
-Diabetes
Medications
-Alternative Treatment for Diabetes
Insulin
-Insulin Resistance
-Insulin Pump
-Lantus Insulin
Diabetes Care
-Diabetes Management
-Diabetes Associations
-Diabetes Prevention
-Diabetes Cure
Diabetes
is the No. 6 leading causes of deaths in the United States, according to 2001
data from the United States National Center for Health Statistics.
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Diabetes Medications
(Oral Diabetes Medications)
Oral Diabetes Medications
Usually, people with Type 1 diabetes don't
use oral medications. These medications work best in people with Type 2 diabetes
who have had high blood sugar for less than ten years and who have normal weight
or obesity. It's not uncommon for oral medication to control blood sugar well
for years and then stop working. Some people who begin treatment with oral
medications eventually need to take insulin.
Sulfonylureas
How they work
Until 1994, sulfonylureas were the only oral
medications for diabetes available in the US. These medications act to force
your pancreas to make more insulin, which then lowers your blood sugar.
For this medication to work, your pancreas has to
make some insulin. If your pancreas makes no insulin at all, you aren't a good
candidate for this class of drugs. Also, if you have an allergy to sulfa drugs
you should probably avoid sulfonylureas.
How often to take
Some sulfonylureas work all day, so you take them
only once. Others are taken twice each day. Your doctor will tell you how many
times a day you should be taking yours.
When to take
The correct time to take these medications varies.
If you take the medication once a day, you will probably take it just before
breakfast. If you take it twice each day, you will probably take the first pill
before breakfast and the second one just before supper. Take the medications at
the same times each day. Your doctor can tell you when to take your medication,
depending on the type of sulfonylureas prescribed.
Side Effects
- low blood sugar
- an upset stomach
- skin rash or itching
- weight gain
Biguanides
How they work
The generic (non-brand) name of this drug is
metformin. It helps lower blood sugar by making sure your liver doesn't make too
much sugar. Metformin also lowers the amount of insulin in your body. You may
lose a few pounds when you start to take metformin. This weight loss can help
you control your blood glucose. Metformin can also improve blood fat and
cholesterol levels, which are often high if you have Type 2 diabetes.
How often, when to take
Two to three times each day with a meal. Your
doctor will tell you which meals to take it with.
Side Effects
- Metformin can make you sick if you drink more than about two to four
alcoholic drinks a week. If you drink more than that, you need to tell your
doctor. You probably shouldn't take this medication.
- If you already have a kidney problem, metformin may build up in your body.
Make sure that your doctor knows your kidneys work well before you are placed
on this medication.
- If you are vomiting, have diarrhea, and can't drink enough fluids, you may
need to stop taking this medication for a few days.
- Occasionally, people on this medication can become weak, tired or dizzy
and have trouble breathing. If you ever have any of these symptoms, call your
doctor or get medical attention immediately.
- You may have nausea, diarrhea and other stomach problems when you first
start taking metformin. These usually go away, but you should check with your
doctor if you are experiencing these symptoms.
- You may notice the taste of metal in your mouth.
- If you are having surgery, tell the surgeon you are taking metformin. You
should be told to stop taking this medication on the day of surgery. Then you
shouldn't take it again until you are eating and your kidneys are working
normally.
- If you have a medical test using dye, tell the doctor you are taking
metformin. You may be told to stop taking metformin the day of the test and
not to take the medication again for 48 hours.
- The UKPDS showed enormous benefit with medformin.
Alpha-glucosidase inhibitors
How they work
There are now two alpha-glucosidase inhibitors,
acarbose and miglitol. Both medications block the enzymes that digest the
starches you eat. This action causes a slower and lower rise of blood sugar
through the day, but mainly right after meals.
How often, when to take
Acarbose and Miglitol are taken three times daily,
at meals, although your doctor might ask you to take the medication less often
at first. It should be taken with the first bite of a meal.
Side Effects
Taking this medication may cause stomach problems
such as gas, bloating and diarrhea that most often go away after you take the
medication for awhile.
Thiazolidinediones
How they work
The generic names for these medications are
pioglitazone and troglitazone. The medication works by helping make your cells
more sensitive to insulin. The insulin can then move glucose from your blood
into your cells for energy.
How often, when to take
Pioglitazone is usually taken once a day at the
same time, with or without a meal. Rosiglitazone is taken either once or twice a
day, at the same time each day, usually in the morning, with or without a meal.
Or in the morning and in the evening, with or without meals.
Side Effects
- If you take pioglitazone or rosiglitazone, it is important for your health
care provider to check your liver enzyme levels regularly. Call your doctor
right away if you have any signs of liver disease, which include nausea,
vomiting, stomach pain, lack of appetite, tiredness, yellowing of the skin or
whites of the eyes, or dark-colored urine.
- Medications in this group don't cause blood sugar to drop too tow. But if
you take other diabetes medications along with pioglitazone or rosiglitazone,
your blood sugar might drop too low.
- If you take birth control pills, medications in this group might make your
birth control pills less effective in preventing pregnancy.
- Weight gain.
- You may be at risk for developing anemia which will make you feel tired.
Anemia causes your blood to carry less oxygen than normal.
- Swelling in the legs or ankles.
Combinations and
thiazolidinediones
Your doctor may ask you to take another diabetes
medication along with a thiazolidinedione. Or you may take it as your only
medication.
Meglitinides
How they work
This is a new type of diabetes medication.
Repaglinide is a generic (non-brand) name for one of the meglitinides. This
medication helps your pancreas make more insulin right after meals, which lowers
blood sugar. Your doctor might prescribe repaglinide by itself or with metformin
if one medication alone doesn't control your blood sugar
A good thing about repaglinide is that it works
fast and your body uses it quickly. This fast action means you can vary the
times you eat and the number of meals you eat more easily than you can with
other diabetes medications. These work like short acting sulfonylureas.
How often, when to take
Your doctor will tell you to take repaglinide
before you eat a meal. If you skip a meal, you shouldn't take the dose.
Repaglinide is taken from 30 minutes before to just before a meal. It lowers
blood sugar the most one hour after it's taken, and it is out of the bloodstream
in three to four hours.
Side Effects
- weight gain
- low blood sugar
(From www.ncdiabetes.org)
See also
Diabetes Treatment
Note:
This diabetes
health education project is supported
by Chong's Health Care at http://www.cljhealth.com, one of the leading companies in the discovery of
alternative
medicines for diabetes.
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