title: Strategies for insulin therapy in type 2 diabetes.
abstract: Chronic hyperglycemia in type 2 diabetes is responsible for an array of microvascular and macrovascular complications that can lead to significant morbidity and mortality. Several well-conducted large clinical studies have shown that normalizing blood glucose levels can help prevent the onset and slow the progression of complications from diabetes. As many as 25% of patients treated with oral hypoglycemic agents require the addition of insulin therapy to compensate for the progression of beta-cell failure and an inability to maintain glycemic control. Various strategies incorporating the use of insulin early in the course of the disease have been developed to meet this goal, and include the use of basal-bolus insulin regimens as well as bedtime insulin injections. The pharmacokinetic properties of the new insulin analogs (eg, insulin lispro, insulin aspart, insulin glargine) offer significant advantages, such as improved control of nocturnal hypoglycemia with basal insulin glargine, and improved postprandial glucose control, with insulin lispro or insulin aspart.
authors.affiliation: Division of Diabetes and Metabolism, San Diego Veterans Affairs Medical Center, 3350 La Jolla Village Drive (111G), San Diego, CA 92161, USA. sedelman@ucsd.edu
authors.forename: Steven V
authors.initials: SV
authors.lastname: Edelman
authors.forename: Candis M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Morello
mesh_terms: D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000187:drug effects; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D006801:Humans; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007328:Insulin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013453:Sulfonylurea Compounds / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D007328:Insulin; D013453:Sulfonylurea Compounds