What are some of the main medical treatments for type 2 diabetes?

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    Last Updated: October 25, 2023

    Initial pharmacotherapy generally starts with metformin, which is an older, safe and relatively inexpensive drug. Frequently, other medications are required to control glucose levels, such as sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors or glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RA). These medications can be particularly beneficial in people at an increased risk of or with established cardiovascular or kidney disease.[1] Up to 35% of people with T2D eventually require insulin to achieve their glycemic targets. Besides glucose-lowering medications, medications or procedures (i.e., metabolic surgery) that facilitate weight loss are also effective for improving glycemic control.

    References

    1. ^, Draznin B, Aroda VR, Bakris G, Benson G, Brown FM, Freeman R, Green J, Huang E, Isaacs D, Kahan S, Leon J, Lyons SK, Peters AL, Prahalad P, Reusch JEB, Young-Hyman D9. Pharmacologic Approaches to Glycemic Treatment: Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes-2022.Diabetes Care.(2022-01-01)