Medication is commonly used for type 2 diabetes, and there are lots of different types:

• Biguanides, such as metformin, reduce the amount of glucose released by the liver into the body and improve insulin resistance. They are one of the most common medicines used for type 2 diabetes, partly because they can help weight loss and a lot of people with the condition struggle in this regard
• Sulphonylureas stimulate the pancreas to make more insulin and also help the hormone to work more effectively. However, they can encourage weight gain so are not suitable for people who are overweight. These drugs can include gliclazide, glibenclamide and glimepiride
• Alpha glucosidase inhibitors like acarbose slow down the intestine’s absorption of starchy foods, which evens out blood glucose levels after eating
• Prandial glucose regulators such as nateglinide work in the same way as sulphonylureas, but more quickly and for a shorter time and so must be taken before eating
• Glitazones reduce insulin resistance and improve sensitivity so that the body’s insulin works more effectively. They also protect cells in the pancreas, meaning they can produce insulin for longer. Pioglitazone is one example
• Incretin mimetics like exenatide increase the amount of incretin hormones, which tell the pancreas to produce more or less insulin as needed and reduce appetite and the rate at which the stomach digests food
• Gliptins block the action of an enzyme that destroys incretin. An example is sitagliptin
• SGLT2 inhibitors such as dapagliflozin reduce the amount of glucose absorbed by the kidneys, and in the blood.

Practice points

• How should insulin that isn’t being used be stored at home compared to insulin that is currently being used?
• Find out what temperature insulin should be kept at.