Antidiabetic drugs

Antidiabetic drugs

Antidiabetic drugs (pronunciation: an-ti-die-a-be-tic drugs) are a broad range of medications that are used to treat diabetes mellitus. They are designed to either cause the pancreas to produce more insulin, decrease the amount of glucose produced by the liver, or increase the sensitivity of cells to insulin.

Etymology

The term "antidiabetic" is derived from the Greek words "anti", meaning against, and "diabetes", which refers to a group of metabolic disorders characterized by high blood sugar levels over a prolonged period.

Types of Antidiabetic Drugs

There are several types of antidiabetic drugs, including:

• Insulin: This is a hormone that helps regulate blood sugar levels. It is often used in the treatment of type 1 diabetes and in some cases of type 2 diabetes.

• Sulfonylureas: These drugs stimulate the pancreas to produce more insulin.

• Biguanides: The most common biguanide is metformin. It works by decreasing the amount of glucose produced by the liver and making cells more sensitive to insulin.

• Thiazolidinediones: These drugs work by making cells more sensitive to insulin.

• DPP-4 inhibitors: These drugs block the action of an enzyme called DPP-4, which results in an increase in insulin production and a decrease in glucose production.

• SGLT2 inhibitors: These drugs prevent the kidneys from reabsorbing glucose into the blood, which leads to a decrease in blood sugar levels.

Related Terms

• Diabetes mellitus
• Insulin
• Sulfonylureas
• Biguanides
• Metformin
• Thiazolidinediones
• DPP-4 inhibitors
• SGLT2 inhibitors

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