Antidiabetic drug

Antidiabetic drugs (pronunciation: an-tee-dye-uh-bet-ik druhgs) are a broad range of medications that are used in the treatment of diabetes mellitus. They are designed to either cause a decrease in blood sugar levels or to increase the body's sensitivity 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. The term "drug" is derived from the Old French "drogue", possibly deriving later into 'droge-vate' from Middle Dutch meaning 'dry barrels', referring to medicinal plants preserved in them.

Types of Antidiabetic Drugs

There are several types of antidiabetic drugs, each working in a different way to control blood sugar levels. These include:

Insulin: This is a hormone produced by the pancreas that allows cells to take in glucose. Synthetic insulin is used in the treatment of diabetes when the body cannot produce enough insulin on its own.

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 increasing the body's sensitivity to insulin.

Thiazolidinediones: These drugs increase the body's sensitivity 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, causing more glucose to be excreted in the urine.

Related Terms

Diabetes mellitus: A group of metabolic disorders characterized by high blood sugar levels over a prolonged period.

Insulin resistance: A condition in which cells fail to respond normally to the hormone insulin.

Hypoglycemia: A condition characterized by abnormally low blood sugar levels.

Hyperglycemia: A condition characterized by an excess of glucose in the bloodstream, often associated with diabetes mellitus.

External links

Medical encyclopedia article on Antidiabetic drug
Wikipedia's article - Antidiabetic drug

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Antidiabetic drug