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Your search term(s) "Oral medications" returned 54 results.

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Shrinking Stomach: What You Need to Know About Stomach Surgery for Weight Loss. Diabetes Forecast. 59(7): 57-60. July 2006.

This article explains bariatric surgery, surgical treatment for obesity, focusing on the implications for people with diabetes. The authors note that there are no special preoperative concerns for patients who have diabetes and who seek surgical treatment for obesity, other than the best possible control of their blood glucose levels prior to surgery. After the gastric bypass, however, insulin becomes part of the treatment regimen for all diabetes patients. This is true whether they were on oral medications or insulin prior to surgery. This is because after these surgeries, patients significantly reduce the amount of calories and carbohydrates they consume, and insulin can be regulated more easily than oral medications. Most patients will require significantly fewer diabetes medications within days or weeks after their surgeries. A final section of the article walks readers through the preoperative tasks, including meeting with various members of the health care team and understanding health insurance coverage.

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Taking Medicines: How to Get Them Down Smoothly. Diabetes Forecast. 59(4): 17-18. April 2006.

This article helps readers learn how to take oral medications effectively. Designed for people with diabetes who may be taking a number of different oral medications, the article offers suggestions for timing of medications, how to take pills that are to be swallowed versus those that should be dissolved in the mouth, the need for fluids while taking pills, and the importance of knowing which medications should be taken on an empty stomach and which should be taken with food or drink. Another section considers liquid medications. The author concludes with ideas for patients who are having problems taking their prescribed oral medications. 1 figure.

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Insulin and Type 2 Diabetes Management. Today's Dietitian. 7(9): 19-20. September 2005.

This article reviews the use of insulin in the management of type 2 diabetes. Recent research has established the importance of intensive blood glucose control in reducing diabetes-related morbidity and mortality. The author notes that aggressive treatment with oral medications and the early introduction of insulin therapy may improve metabolic outcomes and reduce hyperglycemia-associated morbidity in people with type 2 diabetes. The author explains the pathophysiology of type 2 diabetes and the indications for drug therapy, primarily when medical nutrition therapy (MNT) and physical activity fail to maintain blood glucose levels within healthy guidelines. When multiple oral agents fail to achieve metabolic control, insulin is added to the treatment regimen. The author reviews some of the studies that indicate the benefits of early intervention with insulin. A final section discusses the resistance to initiating insulin therapy that is often encountered in patients with type 2 diabetes.

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Managing the ABCs of Diabetes. Philadelphia, PA: American College of Physicians. 2005. 8 p.

This booklet helps readers understand the risks of diabetes and the importance of adequately managing the disease in order to prevent complications. The booklet briefly reviews the different types of diabetes, then outlines the ABCs of diabetes: A is for A1c, a test used to monitor blood glucose levels over time; B is for blood pressure, an important measurement in people with diabetes, who are at increased risk for cardiovascular disease; and C is for cholesterol, another way to monitor cardiovascular health and risk. The booklet then reviews meal planning tips, the importance of regular exercise, and the role of medications, including oral medications and insulin. The back cover of the booklet describes the American College of Physicians, the specialty of internal medicine, and why one might choose an internist for their health care provision. The booklet is copiously illustrated with full-color photographs and includes charts for recording individualized information as well as specific tips for getting started on a program of healthy diabetes management. The booklet is also available in Spanish. 4 figures. 1 table.

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Oral Medicines for Type 2 Diabetes. Diabetes Self-Management. 22(4): 6-12. July-August 2005.

This article describes the use of oral medications that may be used by people with type 2 diabetes. Although eating well and exercising are the first line of therapy for all types of diabetes, there may come a time when oral hypoglycemic agents may be needed as part of a complete plan of diabetes control. The author discusses the pathology of type 2 diabetes (what goes wrong) and then explains the benefits of keeping blood glucose levels at or near normal levels in order to reduce complications. The author then describes the different types of oral diabetes medications and how they work. A final section considers special situations such as pregnancy and puberty, and how to optimize the medications through appropriate dosing and timing. One detailed chart lists seven classes of oral diabetes medicines and summarizes the included drug names, how they work, how they are taken, potential side effects, and comments on use. 2 tables.

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Overcoming Barriers to Intensive Insulin Administration. Reducing Cardiovascular Risk in the Patient with Type 2 Diabetes (AADE Proceedings). p. 7-8. 2005.

This article, from the proceedings of a symposium on reducing cardiovascular risk in people with type 2 diabetes, considers strategies to overcome barriers to intensive insulin administration. The author argues that in order to reach and maintain blood glucose target levels, clinicians must implement more intensive treatment regimens than the traditional stepwise approach that begins with lifestyle modifications, then hypoglycemia agents, then adds insulin. However, the earlier use of exogenous insulin preserves and improves beta cell function, helps to restore normal insulin sensitivity, and improves the effectiveness of oral medications. Some of the barriers to insulin therapy include patient reluctance, concerns about lifestyle changes and restrictions, social embarrassment, painful injections, and the association of insulin with worsening health. Physicians and patients both worry about weight gain and hypoglycemia associated with insulin use. Many primary care providers lack the experience and support they need (access to other diabetes health care providers, for example) to successfully manage insulin regimens. The author focuses on the implementation of simple insulin regimens as a vital part of the care of patients with type 2 diabetes. 7 references.

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Recommendations for Management of Diabetes During Ramadan. Diabetes Care. 28(9): 2305-2311. September 2005.

Muslims who fast during Ramadan must abstain from eating, drinking, use of oral medications, and smoking from predawn to after sunset; however, there are no restrictions on food or fluid intake between sunset and dawn. This article outlines recommendations for patients with diabetes who follow the fasting requirements of the Muslim season of Ramadan. The Koran specifically exempts the sick from the duty of fasting, especially if fasting might lead to harmful consequences for the individual. Patients with diabetes fall under this category because their chronic metabolic disorder may place them at high risk for various complications if the pattern and amount of their meal and fluid intake is markedly altered. However, many patients with diabetes insist on fasting during Ramadan. The authors note their goals as threefold: to invite an open dialogue on this important topic; to offer a set of medical opinions and suggestions; and to identify topics of research needed to answer important medical questions regarding fasting during Ramadan. The authors emphasize that fasting, especially for patients with type 1 diabetes with poor glycemic (blood glucose) control, is associated with multiple risks. These risks include hypoglycemia (low blood glucose levels), hyperglycemia (high blood glucose levels), diabetic ketoacidosis (a metabolic complication that can result in coma), and dehydration and thrombosis (the development of clots). The authors conclude by stressing that a patient's decision to fast should be made after ample discussion with his or her physician concerning the risks involved. Patients who insist on fasting should undergo pre-Ramadan assessment and receive appropriate education and instructions related to physical activity, meal planning, glucose monitoring, and dosage and timing of medications. Close follow-up is essential to reduce the risk for complications. 3 tables. 30 references.

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Taking Control of Your Diabetes. Clearwater, FL: CCS Medical. 2005. 52 p.

This booklet is designed to help readers who are newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes understand and manage their disease. The booklet is also helpful for readers who havehad diabetes for a while and who may have experienced a change in health that requires a new treatment strategy. The booklet first reviews the types of diabetes and general signs and symptoms of the disease. Then it discusses diabetes care management in detail, covering meal planning, counting carbohydrates, the use of exchange lists, food labels, snack ideas, the importance of portion control, the use of sweeteners, dietetic foods, cholesterol, sodium, alcohol, dietary fiber, eating out at restaurants, weight control, exercise, insulin, oral medications, other medications, testing for control (including self-monitoring of blood glucose, or SMBG), low blood glucose (hypoglycemia), high blood glucose (hyperglycemia), testing for ketones, care during illness (sick-day management), complications, and the psychosocial impact of living with diabetes. Readers are encouraged to share the booklet with friends and family so they, too, can understand diabetes and how it can be managed. The booklet is illustrated with line drawings and tables that clarify the material presented. 14 figures. 7 tables.

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Vacationing with Diabetes: Be Prepared. Voice of the Diabetic. 20(2): 10-11. Spring 2005.

This patient education newspaper article offers suggestions for traveling with diabetes. The author's focus is on adequate preparation as the best way to enjoy traveling. Topics include managing blood glucose, monitoring blood glucose, diet considerations, the use of oral medications, and insulin needs. The author encourages readers to use common sense, to choose and plan vacations wisely, to travel with a companion who understands diabetes needs, and to carry appropriate documentation for all medications. The author concludes that readers should plan for problems; if something out of the ordinary happens, it can be easily dealt with and one can go on with the vacation as planned.

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Oral Antidiabetic Agents. In: Harmel, A.P. and Mathur, R. Davidson's Diabetes Mellitus: Diagnosis and Treatment. 5th ed. Orlando, FL: W.B. Saunders Company. 2004. p. 71-108.

In recent years, the number of oral agents available with which to treat diabetes has expanded considerably. In addition to monotherapy, combination therapy has become an accepted approach for treating diabetes. Because many of these drugs function at different sites (targeting not only pancreatic production of insulin, but also muscle sensitivity and hepatic glucose regulation), combining agents produces a greater effect than any one drug in isolation. This chapter on oral antidiabetic agents is from a textbook that provides readers with current information on the diagnosis and treatment of patients with diabetes, including the latest advances, medications, and research studies. This chapter is divided into three parts. The first section describes a general approach for using oral agents in patients with type 2 diabetes. The second section deals with each class of available oral agents, and discusses in detail their background, mechanisms of action and pharmacology, appropriate usage, dosage, side effects, and contraindications. These agents are classified overall as insulin secretagogues and noninsulin secretagogues. The third section deals with combination therapy and provides strategies for managing specific patients with multiple oral medications. Case examples are provided. 18 figures. 11 tables. 90 references.

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