Pharmacology of Diabetes Mellitus

If your pt is taking insulin, find out which kind of insulin they are taking. Sulfonylureas are a major class of drugs used for diabetics. Biguanides are also used. Thiaolidinediols have had some problems associated with them. Alpha-glucosidase inhibitors are newer medications used.


3% of the general population is diabetic, although this is an underestimate. Diabetes is the number one metabolic disorder in the world. Uncontrolled diabetes mellitus is a major cardiovascular risk factor. Tight control of glucose concentration has been shown to delay the onset of some complications (retinopathy, nephropathy, coronary artery disease, arterioscerosis)… the term “tight control” is argued vigorously. If you’re fasting and have a blood sugar of 90-100 mg/dL we can call this controlled, the target for control of a diabetic pt does not mean that they’re trying to get the blood glucose from 250 to 90 or 100… the goal is to get it as low as you can with proper diet and exercise. Like HTN, you don’t absolutely push to get things back to optimal normal levels. Type I diabetics, no matter how well controlled, have a significantly shorter life expectancy than those of the type II class; there is thus some other pathology going on aside from the aberration in glucose metabolism. MDs must try to manage not only hypoglycemia but damage to organ systems.

Category: Pharmacology Notes