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The Uses Of Metformin

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Biguanide (Metformin) is usually the first diabetes medication prescribed if a healthy diet and physical activity alone has not sufficiently helped to control the blood glucose levels. Metformin works in two ways: It helps to stop the liver producing new glucose and to overcome insulin resistance by making insulin carry glucose into muscle cells more effectively. It is available in different forms – tablets for immediate release (up to three times per day) or prolonged release (usually once per day), and oral solution and powder for oral solution for immediate release. It is often used for people who are overweight because it generally does not encourage weight gain and can reduce the risk of cardiovascular complications like heart …show more content…

• Incretin mimetics: incretin hormones help the body to produce more insulin when needed and reduce the amount of glucose production when it's not needed. The hormone also reduces the rate at which the stomach digests food and empties. This medication increases the level of incretins in the body.
• DPP-4 inhibitors (gliptins): works by blocking the action of DPP-4, an enzyme that destroys the hormone, incretin.
• SGLT2 inhibitors: This medication reduces the amount of glucose absorbed by the kidneys and your blood.
Type 2 diabetics tend to become less responsive to insulin as they age. This can be offset if necessary by injecting insulin.

Most diabetics with Type 1 diabetes treated with insulin injection as the insulin cannot be taken orally because, being a protein, it would be digested in the alimentary canal. There are two types of insulin (Diabetes UK, 2017):
• Basal insulin: the role of basal insulin is to keep blood glucose levels at consistent levels during periods of fasting. When fasting, the body steadily releases glucose into the blood to our cells supplied with energy. Basal insulin is therefore needed to keep blood glucose levels under control, and to allow the cells to take in glucose for energy. Basal insulin is usually taken once or twice a day depending on the insulin. Basal insulin need to act over a relatively long period of time and therefore basal insulin will either be long acting insulin or intermediate insulin.
• Bolus insulin: a

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