Diabetes pills help lower blood sugar. Diabetes pills are not insulin! They help people with type 2 diabetes put more insulin into the blood or help the insulin your body makes work better.

There are different kinds of diabetes pills.

• Some help the pancreas make insulin
  
  
• Some keep the liver from making extra sugar
  
  
• Some help the body break food down more slowly
  
  
• Some help insulin work better

Your health care provider will advise which kind of pill is best for you.

Your doctor/health care provider decides how often you should take your pills and at what times - it's usually at meal times.

• If one day you forget to take a pill, take your diabetes pill as soon as you remember.
  
  
• If you skip a whole day, don't take two pills the next day.

Sulfonylureas (Second Generation/newer):

This class of medication includes pills or capsules that lower blood glucose for patients whose pancreas still makes some insulin. These medications work mainly by causing the pancreas to release more insulin. These medications should not be used without checking kidney and liver function. Sulfonylureas may cause hypoglycemia (low blood sugar).

Meglitinide:

Taken pre-meals (0-30 min.), these medications are rapidly absorbed and stimulate the pancreas to produce insulin, but for a shorter time (2 to 3 hours) than sulfonylureas. Do not take if you skip meals.

 

Biguanide:

Metformin (Glucophage) lowers blood glucose mainly by keeping the liver from releasing too much glucose. This medication does not promote weight gain. It is not likely to cause hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) because the pancreas is not stimulated to produce insulin. It can be taken with sulfonylureas. This class of medication should not be used if kidney disease is present because there is a chance of developing a rare condition called lactic acidosis. Glucophage may initially cause gas/diarrhea. Currently available in a new timed release form (Glucophage XR)

Combination:

Double action: works by causing the pancreas to release more insulin (glyburide) and lowers blood glucose by keeping the liver from releasing too much glucose (metformin). Hypoglycemia possible because of the glyburide component (see above).

 

Alpha-Glucosidase Inhibitors:

Thiazolidinediones:

These medications improve the action of insulin by making it work better - lowering insulin resistance. Liver function must be closely monitored when taking any medications from this class.

The availability of the new oral antidiabetes medications gives physicians more options in treatments which can be single-pill therapy or therapy that combines two or more other medications. If you cannot find your diabetes medication on these pages, please talk to your educator or physician.