Diabetes Medications for Type 1
For Type 1 diabetes, the primary treatment involves insulin therapy. Generally a person with Type 1 would need rapid acting insulin with food, we use Novorapid and a long acting insulin such as Levemir.
There are newer insulin options being developed all the time and some are already in use. Often what you use is down to your consultant, your personal preference and trying what seems to work best with your body.
For example, Tresiba is often used as an alternative to Levemir and is supposed to sting less when injected. Humalog is faster acting and preferred by some due to this, however it has a shorter duration.
A newer option is Afrezza which is a rapid acting insulin which you inhale and has been approved in the USA for people over 18 years. Clinical trials are underway to offer this for children.
New Medications for Type 2 Diabetes
The most commonly seen prescription medicine in the past year for diabetes actually are aimed at those with Type 2 Diabetes. Type 2 is where your body still produces insulin but you have become resistant to it.
Common Type 2 diabetes medications are Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists and gastrointestinal peptide (GIP) receptor agonists. These work by enhancing the body’s ability to produce its own insulin, leading to improved glycemic control and lower glucose levels.
Another helpful option is DPP-4 inhibitors which prevent the breakdown of beta cells, which play a key role in blood glucose levels regulation. Meanwhile, synthetic insulin formulations like insulin glargine and insulin degludec injection offer long-acting solutions for those who require insulin injections.
Lastly you may have seen adverts for Type 2 diabetes, weight reduction drugs such as Ozempic or Mounjaro, some of which are available on the NHS. These now help Type 2 patients looking to lose weight while controlling high blood sugar levels and lowering blood pressure. These medications can reduce the risk factors for cardiovascular disease and chronic kidney disease.
Future of Diabetes Treatment
Everyone I speak to about their diagnosis tells me they were told, in ten years there will be a cure. And yet here we are. I am hopeful that one of the many ongoing clinical trials will find a cure even if it’s a practical one. This means that you have not cured the disease but you have incorporated something into the patient which makes the body produce insulin with help.
Publications such as the New England Journal of Medicine and organisations like the American Diabetes Association are supporting research into safer and more effective diabetes drugs. These tend to be researched and approved in the US first and then come to the UK.
However, by working with your NHS healthcare provider, we can all find different ways to manage and prevent diabetes complications. For Type 2 patients the medications above can help and maintain better health through lifestyle changes and a healthy diet.
We have only decided now 6 years on that we will try an insulin pump. So if you are considering a new treatment, consult your healthcare team to determine the type of device or medication best suited to your condition. When my daughter was diagnosed we were told we couldn’t have a CGM as these were just for people who weren’t managing their condition well. Now the consensus has changed and doctors understand that these can help everyone.
It’s an ever changing world in Diabetes tech and helpful improvements of different types are being researched and invented all the time. Meaning the future of diabetes care looks increasingly promising.
