COMPARING MEDICATIONS FOR TYPE 2 DIABETES: WHAT'S KNOWN
Diabetes is a group of metabolic diseases in which a person has high blood sugar, either because the body does not produce enough insulin, or because cells do not respond to the insulin that is produced. This high blood sugar produces the classical symptoms of polyuria (frequent urination), polydipsia (increased thirst) and polyphagia (increased hunger). Results from insulin resistance, a condition in which cells fail to use insulin properly, sometimes combined with an absolute insulin deficiency. There are several classes of medications available. Metformin is generally recommended as a first line treatment as there is good evidence that it decreases mortality. Injections f insulin may either be added to oral medication or used alone. Other classes of medications used to treat type 2 diabetes are sulfonyl ureas, non sulfonyl urea secretagogues, alpha glucosidase inhibitors, and thiazolidinediones. Traditionally considered a disease of adults, type 2 diabetes is increasingly diagnosed in children in parallel to rising obesity rates due to alterations in dietary patterns as well as in life styles during childhood.