(This post should not be construed as an endorsement or disapproval on any medication or treatment by ME. Every person responds differently to every medication. Case in point, my Type 2 husband can take metformin without any side effects while I am miserable with cramping, nausea and diarrhea. Personally, I do not advocate filing lawsuits because your body responded badly to a medication. Do your homework people and KNOW what you are putting in your body. You always have a choice. (/rant))
There are a large number of medications that can treat type
2 diabetes. Some work better than others, and some have dangerous side effects
everybody should know about.
The classes of drugs work in three ways. Some make cells
more sensitive to insulin. Other drugs boost insulin production by the
pancreas. Then there are drugs that slow down sugar digestion in the stomach.
Drugs that Work on Cells
The drugs that make cells more responsive to insulin are the
most popular. They're called biguanides and thiazolidinediones. The only
biguanide is metformin. It's one of the first drugs doctors prescribe because it
brings down blood sugar so effectively.
The most popular thiazolidinedione is a drug called Actos.
Actos is a best seller, but unfortunately it has dangerous side effects. Actos recently
was found to increase the risk of bladder cancer by 80 percent or more. In
fact, thousands of patients have filed Actos lawsuits against
the maker of Actos.
Actos also has other dangerous side effects. In 2007, it got
slapped with a black-box warning from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
because it increases the risk of heart failure. It also has been linked to eye
disease and bone fractures.
Drugs that Work on
the Pancreas
Drug classes that make the pancreas produce more insulin are
sulfonylureas and nonsulfonylurea secretagogues. Be careful because
sulfonylureas can bring blood sugar down too much and bring on hypoglycemia.
Nonsulfonylurea secretagogues are short-acting drugs. They
are taken before meals to stop your blood sugar from rising when you eat.
Drugs that Work on
Digestion
Alpha-glucosidase inhibitors, amylin analogues, incretin
mimetics and DDP-4 inhibitors have few dangerous side effects. You take them
before meals, and they stop your post-meal blood sugar from going up. Since
these drugs work on your stomach to slow the breakdown of sugar, they can cause
nausea and flatulence. Because of these side effects, they haven't been too
popular in the United States.
Your doctor may have a favorite medication he or she likes
to prescribe, but you can always ask them about alternatives to avoid risks
like Actos side
effects. Together, you can decide the best way to treat your diabetes.
William Richards is a writer for Drugwatch.com. He uses his journalism
background to investigate dangerous drugs and promote consumer awareness to
better the community.
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