title: Oral antihyperglycemic therapy for type 2 diabetes: clinical applications.
abstract: Oral agents are the mainstay of pharmacologic treatment for type 2 diabetes, and physicians now have a number of agents to choose from. However, more choices translate into more complex decision making. Many patients with diabetes have associated comorbidities, and most diabetic patients will require more than 1 agent to achieve good glycemic control. This article illustrates several of the pharmacologic approaches to type 2 diabetes through 4 situations that use principles of evidence-based medicine. The scenarios also highlight some of the difficulties in choosing the optimal pharmacologic treatment regimen for individual patients. Physicians should also recognize that type 2 diabetes is a multisystem disorder that requires multidisciplinary care, including education and ongoing counseling for effective patient self-management of the disease. Finally, patient preferences are a vital component of informed decision making for pharmacologic treatment of diabetes.
authors.affiliation: Yale Primary Care Residency Program, Waterbury Hospital, 64 Robbins St, Waterbury, CT 06721, USA. eholmboe@wtbyhosp.chime.org
authors.forename: Eric S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Holmboe
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001645:Biguanides / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015897:Comorbidity; D003657:Decision Making; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D005260:Female; D065089:Glycoside Hydrolase Inhibitors; D006801:Humans; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007328:Insulin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D010358:Patient Participation; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D013453:Sulfonylurea Compounds / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013844:Thiazoles / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D001645:Biguanides; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D065089:Glycoside Hydrolase Inhibitors; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D007328:Insulin; D013453:Sulfonylurea Compounds; D013844:Thiazoles