Diabetes Control Matters
A Closer Look At Oral Agents
Today, there are several kinds of oral agents, or diabetes
pills, available for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. If
you have type 2 diabetes, your doctor and health care team
can help you decide which oral agent or combination of oral
agents are the best for you.
Here are some general tips about oral agents:
- Diabetes pills are not insulin
- Many doctors combine one oral agent with another
or with insulin
- Exercise and weight loss improve how well the
diabetes pills work, which can sometimes help reduce the
amount of diabetes medicine you have to take.
- Taking insulin does not mean your diabetes is
"worse" than the diabetes of a person who takes
pills. It means that it is right for you at this time.
| Brand Name |
Generic Name |
How They Work |
Possible Side Effects |
Diabinese
Dymelor
Orinase
Tolinase
Diabeta/Micronase
Glynase
Glucotrol
Glucotrol XL
Amaryl |
Chlorpropamide
Acetohexamide
Tolbutamide
Tolazamide
Glyburide
Glyburide
Glipizide
Glipizide
Glimepiride |
Helps the pancreas release insulin |
• Low blood sugar
• Skin rash
•
Weight Gain |
| Glucopahge |
Metformin |
Keeps the liver from making too much
sugar |
• Upset stomach, take with
food to avoid
• Diarrhea
• Gas & Bloating
•
Avoid if you have kidney problems |
Avandia
Actos |
Troglitazone
Rosiglitazone
Pioglitazone |
Helps the body use insulin better
|
• Take with food for best results
•
Avoid if you have kidney or liver problems
•
Requires frequent liver function tests
• Weight
Gain |
Precose
Glyset
|
Acarbose
Miglitol |
Slows absorption of sugar from the
intestines after a meal |
• Stomach discomfort
• Gas & diarrhea
• Increasing dose slowly helps tolerance
•
If taken in combination with sulfonylureas, can make low
blood sugar more difficult to treat |
| Prandin |
Repaglinide |
Helps the pancreas release insulin |
• Low blood sugar |
|
