title: Treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus: pharmacologic intervention.
abstract: Since 1995 there have been several new medications approved for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. The availability of these new medications has made the treatment regiment for type 2 diabetes complex. There are currently five classes of oral antidiabetic agents available in the United States. These classes include: sulfonylureas, meglitinides, alpha-glucosidase inhibitors, thiazolidinediones, and biguanides. Additionally there are several types of insulin and insulin analogs available for the treatment of hyperglycemia: regular, lispro, aspart, NPH, lente, ultralente, glargine, 70/30, 50/50, and 75/25. In this article, the mechanism, site of action, and adverse effects of these classes will be reviewed. The efficacy and important management issues of these glucose-lowering drugs used in monotherapy and in combination will be discussed.
authors.affiliation: University of Chicago, Illinois, USA.
authors.forename: Maureen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: McCormick
authors.forename: Laurie
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Quinn
mesh_terms: D001549:Benzamides; D001645:Biguanides; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000451:nursing; D005959:Glucosidases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D006801:Humans; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007328:Insulin; D013453:Sulfonylurea Compounds; D013844:Thiazoles; D045162:Thiazolidinediones
chemical_list: D001549:Benzamides; D001645:Biguanides; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D007328:Insulin; D013453:Sulfonylurea Compounds; D013844:Thiazoles; D045162:Thiazolidinediones; C030516:meglitinide; C089946:2,4-thiazolidinedione; D005959:Glucosidases