Non-insulin drugs for treating type 2 diabetes
19 September, 2018
Some people with type 2 diabetes need to regularly inject themselves with insulin to control their blood sugar levels. Many others can manage the condition with lifestyle and dietary changes alone or in combination with oral or other injectable medications.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 30 million people in the United States have diabetes, or around 1 in 10 people. Of these, 90–95 percent have type 2 diabetes.
People with type 2 diabetes are resistant to insulin, which is the hormone that causes sugar to move from the bloodstream into the body's cells. Insulin resistance causes a person's blood sugar levels to become too high.
In this article, we look at when a person with type 2 diabetes requires insulin, and which other medications can manage the condition. We also describe useful lifestyle and dietary tips.
When is insulin needed?
- non insulin treatment for diabetes injection
- Doctors will typically only prescribe insulin for people with severe symptoms of type 2 diabetes.
- In a person with type 1 diabetes, the body has stopped producing insulin. The person needs to either use an insulin pump or inject the hormone several times a day.
For people with type 2 diabetes, doctors generally recommend other medications first. They consider several factors when recommending courses of treatment, including the person's:
- blood sugar levels
- previous treatment history
- weight
- age
- medical history
- other ongoing health issues
Most individuals with mild-to-moderate type 2 diabetes can manage the condition with oral medications or non-insulin injectable drugs, as well as lifestyle and dietary changes.
Some people can even manage the condition with lifestyle changes alone. These can include weight management, dietary changes, and regular exercise.
However, a doctor may prescribe insulin for people with severe symptoms of type 2 diabetes or certain accompanying medical conditions.
Typically, the doctor will recommend insulin when a combination of non-insulin drugs is no longer sufficient to control blood sugar levels.
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