Treatment
There are different types of ways to treat and manage this illness. However, each type of diabetes has different ways of treating it.
Type 1 diabetes
This type is best treated by the intake of insulin. This is because the cells in the pancreas needed for insulin production are destroyed. There are various types of insulin medications and they differ in the time needed to work and how long they last for in the body. They include:
- Premixed insulin: it starts work between 10-50 minutes after intake and can last for about 10-15 hours.
- Long-acting insulin: it takes effect after 2 hours of injection and lasts for about 24hours in the blood system.
- Short-acting insulin: it begins to work 25-30 minutes after intake and it lasts for 3-7 hours.
There are other types, depending on which one suits each individual.
Type 2 diabetes
Following a Well-balanced meal plan and taking part in regular exercises work best for lowering this type of sugar level. Medications also help to drop glucose level if exercise and proper diet are not working. These medications are:
- DPP-4 inhibitors: this helps to reduce the sugar level without dropping too low. Such drugs are alogliptin (Nesina), sitagliptin (Januvia).
- Meglitinides: they stimulate the pancreas to produce more insulin. Examples are repaglinide and nateglinide.
- Biguanides: this also helps to reduce the amount of glucose present in the liver. Examples are metformin (Glucophage riomet).
- Thiazolidinedione: this makes the insulin work more efficiently. Examples are rosiglitazone and pioglitazone.
Gestational diabetes
This is easily managed by conscious monitoring of the blood sugar level. Regular exercise and proper diet also treat this form of diabetes. Insulin can also be used after delivering the baby.