Drugs for diabetes mellitus

Sugar, Diabetes,, Adult onset diabetes, Type I, Type II, Gestational diabetes, Insulin

Definition Diabetes mellitus

Diabetes mellitus (diabetes) is a chronic metabolic disease that is caused by an absolute or relative lack of insulin. The hallmark of this disease is a permanent elevation of the blood sugar level (hyperglycemia) and urine sugar. The cause is the insufficient effect of the hormone insulin on the liver cells, muscle cells and fat cells of the human body.

Therapeutic approaches

There are basically two different therapeutic approaches for diabetes mellitus.

  • On the one hand, one tries to support the remaining function of the pancreas as best as possible with medication against diabetes, which one must take, so that the amount of insulin still produced is sufficient for daily needs.
  • On the other hand, if the pancreas is no longer able to produce sufficient insulin, insulin can be injected from the outside in various forms.

Oral antidiabetics/tablets

Oral antidiabetics is the medical term for the therapy of diabetes with tablets. Generally speaking, oral antidiabetics are used in the treatment of type 2 diabetes. There are different groups of active ingredients which are presented below:

  • Biguanide
  • Alpha-glucosidase inhibitors
  • Glitazones (also: Thiazolidinediones)
  • Insulin secretagoga SulfonylureasGlinides
  • Sulfonylureas
  • Glinide
  • Sulfonylureas
  • Glinide

Biguanide

Biguanides delay the absorption of glucose from the intestines and reduce the appetite of diabetics, which may result in weight loss. In addition, the utilization of glucose in the cells of the muscles is increased and the body’s own new formation of glucose in the liver (gluconeogenesis) is inhibited. A well-known active ingredient in this group of drugs is metformin. Preparations with this active substance may not be administered with Diabetikern with insufficient kidney function, since the ill kidneys eliminate the material only badly.

Alpha-glucosidase inhibitors

Diabetes drugs from this group of antidiabetics slow down the breakdown of glucose in the intestine and thus the absorption of sugar into the blood. Likewise, the subsequent transport into the body cells occurs later, so that blood sugar peaks can be avoided or flattened after eating. Undesirable side effects of alpha-glucosidase inhibitors, which include acarbose and miglitol, are flatulence and diarrhea.