Pharmacy Law Ethics - Hypoglycemic Drugs for Type 2 Diabetes Treatment

Running head: PHARMACY
PHARMACY
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PHARMACY
Pharmacy law ethics
Summary
Type 2 diabetes is a widespread metabolic disease leading to one of the greatest burden
of chronic disease around the world. Although oral hypoglycaemic drugs are widely used
nowadays, in the treatment of the type 2 diabetes, many of the medicines pose serious threat to
the body. This summary would focus on the four classes of the hypoglycemic drugs: -
Sulfonylureas, Metformin, Thiazolidinediones and Alpha-glucosidase inhibitors. Sulfonylureas
works mainly by the stimulation of the insulin, which is done by increasing the responsiveness of
the Beta cells to both the glucose and the non-glucose secretagogues, leading to more insulin
production. The main side effect of this medicine is hypoglycemia. Some of the medicines under
this class of drugs is Repaglinide, that has been newly approved by the Food and Drug
Administration, the structurally differs from Sulphonylurea but shows the same mode of action.
Another similar drug is Natiglinide that acts on the initial phase of the release of insulin than the
late phase. It makes this medicine more effective in patients suffering from impaired glucose
tolerance..
Another class of hypoglycemic drugs is Metformin that is reported to have been lowering
the fasting blood glucose concentrations by 20 percent approximately. Metformin does not
stimulate the secretion of the insulin, but the increases the action of the insulin. Metformin is
used in obese patients suffering from Type 2 diabetes, as it contributes to weight stabilization
(Rena, Pearson & Sakamoto, 2013).. One of the advantages of using Metformin over
Sulphonylureas is that, there is less chance of causing hypoglycemia and it also displays lipid