Healthy lifestyle choices — including diet, exercise and weight control — provide the foundation for managing type 2 diabetes. However, you may need medications to achieve target blood sugar (glucose) levels. Sometimes a single medication is effective. In other cases, a combination of medications works better.
The list of medications for type 2 diabetes is long and potentially confusing. Learning about these drugs — how they’re taken, what they do and what side effects they may cause — will help you discuss treatment options with your doctor.
Diabetes treatment: Lowering blood sugar
Several classes of type 2 diabetes medicines exist. Each class of medicine works in different ways to lower blood sugar. A drug may work by:
- Stimulating the pancreas to produce and release more insulin
- Inhibiting the production and release of glucose from the liver
- Blocking the action of stomach enzymes that break down carbohydrates
- Improving the sensitivity of cells to insulin
- Inhibiting the reabsorption of glucose in the kidneys
- Slowing how quickly food moves through the stomach
Each class of medicine has one or more drugs. Some of these drugs are taken orally, while others must be injected.
