NURS6521 All Weeks Forums – Advanced Pharmacology Week 5 Forum                            

Diabetes and Drug Treatments

Each year, 1.5 million Americans are diagnosed with diabetes (American Diabetes Association, 2019). If left untreated, diabetic patients are at risk for several alterations, including heart disease, stroke, kidney failure, neuropathy, and blindness. There are various methods for treating diabetes, many of which include some form of drug therapy. The type of diabetes as well as the patient’s behavior factors will impact treatment recommendations.

For this Discussion, you compare types of diabetes, including drug treatments for type 1, type 2, gestational, and juvenile diabetes.

Reference: American Diabetes Association. (2019). Statistics about diabetes. Retrieved from http://diabetes.org/diabetes-basics/statistics/

To Prepare

Review the Resources for this module and reflect on differences between types of diabetes, including type 1, type 2, gestational, and juvenile diabetes.

Select one type of diabetes to focus on for this Discussion.

Consider one type of drug used to treat the type of diabetes you selected, including proper preparation and administration of this drug. Then, reflect on dietary considerations related to treatment.

Think about the short-term and long-term impact of the diabetes you selected on patients, including effects of drug treatments.

By Day 3 of Week 5

Post a brief explanation of the differences between the types of diabetes, including type 1, type 2, gestational, and juvenile diabetes. Describe one type of drug used to treat the type of diabetes you selected, including proper preparation and administration of this drug. Be sure to include dietary considerations related to treatment. Then, explain the short-term and long-term impact of this type of diabetes on patients. including effects of drug treatments. Be specific and provide examples.NURS6521 All Weeks Forums – Advanced Pharmacology

By Day 6 of Week 5

Read a selection of your colleagues’ responses and respond to at least two of your colleagues on two different days who selected a different type of diabetes than you did. Provide recommendations for alternative drug treatments and patient education strategies for treatment and management.

 

 

MORE INFO 

Diabetes and Drug Treatments

Introduction

Diabetes is a serious, chronic condition that requires ongoing treatment. There are many different types of drugs that can help you manage your diabetes. You may use one or more of these drugs depending on what makes sense for you and your health care provider.

Sulfonylureas

Sulfonylureas are oral diabetes drugs that stimulate the pancreas to produce more insulin. Sulfonylureas work well in people with type 2 diabetes who are overweight or obese. They require daily injections and can cause side effects such as nausea, vomiting and diarrhea; however these symptoms usually go away after one week of treatment.

Sulfonamide drug combinations: These combination medications include glipizide (Glucotrol), glyburide (DiaBeta) and glimepiride (Amaryl).

Meglitinides

Meglitinides are oral medications that help control blood glucose levels by stimulating insulin secretion. They work by preventing the absorption of sugar in the small intestine, which causes an increase in glucagon and insulin levels.

They are taken before meals, so when you take one it will decrease your blood sugar level for a couple hours after taking it. This means that if you have type 2 diabetes and need to take meglitinide medication, then this is ideal for you because it will help reduce your risk of developing ketoacidosis (a dangerous condition where too much fat builds up).

Alpha-glucosidase inhibitors

Alpha-glucosidase inhibitors are a class of drugs used to treat type 2 diabetes. There are two types:

• Metformin (brand name Glucophage)

• Acarbose (brand name Precose)

Both can cause low blood sugar, nausea and vomiting, diarrhea and weight gain. They also have the potential to damage your liver over time if you take them for too long or in large doses.

Thiazolidinediones

• They work by regulating your body’s insulin production, which can help you control blood sugar levels more effectively.

• Side effects can include weight gain and fatigue, as well as heart disease or stroke in people with diabetes who already have high cholesterol; they may also increase the risk of cancer due to their association with obesity and metabolic syndrome (a condition that includes obesity, high blood pressure, high triglycerides and low HDL cholesterol levels).

• People taking thiazolidinediones should talk to their doctor about any changes they notice in their health after starting this drug treatment plan—especially if these changes are severe or worrisome!4

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DPP4 inhibitors

DPP4 inhibitors are a class of drugs that help control blood glucose levels. They are used in type 2 diabetes and can be taken alone or with other drugs, such as metformin or sulfonylureas.

Disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) have been shown to improve glycemic control and reduce joint pain in people with rheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune disease that affects your joints

GLP-1 receptor agonists

GLP-1 receptor agonists are a class of drugs that work by stimulating the GLP-1 receptor. They include exenatide, liraglutide and lixisenatide.

GLP-1 receptor agonists may be used to treat type 2 diabetes and pre-diabetes. The main side effects of these medicines include:

• Nausea

• Vomiting (feeling sick)

Insulin

Insulin is a hormone produced by your pancreas. It’s released in response to high blood glucose levels, stimulating cells to take up glucose from the blood and storing it as energy.

Insulin also has other effects on your body: it increases the absorption of nutrients, helps maintain blood pressure and heart rate, regulates fat metabolism, controls ovulation (when you get pregnant), maintains normal urination patterns and appetite control.

Takeaway:

In summary, diabetes is a chronic condition that can be controlled with lifestyle changes and drug treatments. The best approach is to work with your doctor to find the right combination of medications for you.

• You may have heard that there are many different kinds of drugs used in the treatment of diabetes.

• Some of these medications help control blood sugar levels while others control blood pressure or cholesterol levels.

Conclusion

If you have diabetes, you may be able to decrease your blood sugar levels by taking the right combination of medications. You should talk with your doctor about what treatment is best for you.