["Non-insulin-dependent" diabetes--an antithesis? Patients with type 2 diabetes should be treated with insulin early in the course of disease].
There is disagreement concerning the treatment of type 2 diabetes; i.e. whether the patient should be given antidiabetic drugs or insulin. However, the peroral drugs either increase insulin production by stimulating the beta cells, diminish gluconeogenesis or increase the patient's sensitivity to insulin, i.e. they enhance a relative effect of insulin. The effects of these drugs diminish after some time and they have to be replaced by insulin. Therefore, type 2 diabetes should not be characterized as non-insulin dependent. When dietary intervention and physical exercise no longer have an effect on the blood sugar these patients should be given insulin, especially because this can postpone the development of microangiopathic lesions.
Rosenlund
B L
BL
Klinisk kjemisk avdeling, Aker sykehus, Oslo.
D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D007328:Insulin