| Abstract: |
This booklet helps readers with diabetes understand how diabetes medicines help keep their blood glucose levels in healthy target ranges. Written in nontechnical language, the booklet describes how these medications work; recommended targets for blood glucose levels, including for before and after meals; how blood glucose levels are affected by the presence of diabetes; medicines that may be used for each of the types of diabetes, including type 1, type 2, and gestational diabetes; and the types of diabetes medications and their forms, including insulin injections and insulin pumps, the side effects of insulin, the different types of insulin, oral medications, and injections other than insulin. Inside the back cover of the booklet is a folder with numerous inserts that provide information about specific drugs. The first insert is a form on which readers and their health care providers can record the medications currently prescribed. A second insert offers a list of questions patients might want to ask about their diabetes medications, and a third insert summarizes the different types of insulin. The remaining inserts provide specific information about the following drugs: the alpha-glucosidase inhibitors Glyset (miglitol) and Precose (acarbose); the biguanides Glucophage (metformin), Glucophage XR (long-acting metformin), and Riomet (liquid metformin); Starlix (nateglinide); the DPP-4 inhibitor Januvia (sitagliptin); a meglitinide called Prandin (repaglinide); sulfonylurea compounds including Amaryl (glimepiride), DiaBeta (glyburide), Diabinese (chlorpropamide), Glucotrol (glipizide), Glucotrol XL (long-acting glipizide), Glynase (glyburide), Micronase (glyburide), and the generics tolazamide and tolbutamide; thiazolidinediones Actos (pioglitazone) and Avandia (rosiglitazone); the combination pill Actoplus Met (pioglitazone and metformin); and the amylin mimetic Symlin (pramlintide). Each drug insert explains what the drug is supposed to do, who should and should not take the drug, and possible side effects. A final insert discusses low blood glucose levels. Blank spaces in different sections of the booklet allow readers to note their own individual prescriptions. The booklet concludes with a list of resources from which readers can get more information and a brief description of the goals and activities of the National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse. |