Type 2 Diabetes

More than 30 million Americans are living with type 2 diabetes, a condition characterized by high blood sugar, insulin resistance and insufficient insulin production. Learn about the signs and symptoms of this condition and get expert guidance on blood sugar monitoring, medication use, exercise, meal planning and more.

Byetta and Pancreatitis: What You Should Know

August 22, 2008

The injected Type 2 diabetes drug exenatide (brand name Byetta) has been in the news this week because of safety concerns. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced on August 18 that six cases of severe pancreatitis have been reported in people taking Byetta since October 2007. Read More “Byetta and Pancreatitis: What You Should Know”

An Epidemic of Pain

August 20, 2008

According to a Veterans Affairs study, up to 60% of people with Type 2 diabetes report having chronic pain. This can be compared to rates of about 20% that have been found in the general population. This is an astonishing difference. Is diabetes really that painful? Or is something else going on? What do we know about chronic pain, and how can we reduce its crippling effects? Read More “An Epidemic of Pain”

One of the Most Effective Diabetes Drugs

August 18, 2008

You may recall that I recently wrote a series on various medicines and how they can affect your diabetes (see "The Ups and Downs of Meds and Diabetes [Part 1]" as well as Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, and Part 5). One kind reader, who happens to be a nurse, asked me to devote a post to metformin with regard to its effects on kidneys and special considerations to keep in mind with this drug. Read More “One of the Most Effective Diabetes Drugs”

Drug Combo Linked to Increased Health Risks

August 15, 2008

According to an evaluation of multiple studies, taking a combination of two common types of Type 2 diabetes drugs may be linked to an increased risk of dying or ending up in the hospital due to cardiovascular disease. Read More “Drug Combo Linked to Increased Health Risks”

Things That Bug Us

August 5, 2008

Some poor, hapless bug meandered onto the front porch the other day—no easy feat, since the porch is totally screened in—and, just its luck, met up with three kittens. It was one of those roundish, hard-shelled bugs and turned out to make a perfect hockey puck. The kittens were having a blast batting it around among themselves, but I daresay the bug was not as thrilled as being turned into a plaything as the kittens were in discovering a new toy. Read More “Things That Bug Us”

Knocking Out Prediabetes

July 25, 2008

If you are one of the more than 56 million Americans who have prediabetes, more guidance on how reduce your risk of Type 2 diabetes may be on the way. This week, the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE) agreed to recommend an aggressive approach to treating prediabetes, releasing the first official treatment recommendations that have been made for this condition. Read More “Knocking Out Prediabetes”

Are Your Meds Making You Fat?

July 23, 2008

One of the frustrations of diabetes is the way everyone tells you to lose weight. Then they give you medicine that makes you gain weight. Some of the worst offenders are insulin and the thiazolidinedione drugs, pioglitazone (brand name Actos) and rosiglitazone (Avandia). Why do these drugs cause weight gain, and what can you do about it? Read More “Are Your Meds Making You Fat?”

New Combination Drug Approved

July 18, 2008

On June 23, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a new pill that combines two older drugs for Type 2 diabetes. Called PrandiMet, the pill is a combination of repaglinide (brand name Prandin) and metformin (Glucophage and other brand names). Read More “New Combination Drug Approved”

Blast It! Starting on Multiple Meds Makes Sense

July 8, 2008

Skimming through the latest edition of the diaTribe newsletter, my interest perked up when I read a report on the Banting Lecture by Dr. Ralph DeFronzo of the University of Texas Health Science Center and recipient of the 2008 Banting Medal for Scientific Achievement. In particular, his criticism of the American Diabetes Association’s treatment guidelines, “which recommend lifestyle changes and metformin as initial therapy for Type 2 diabetes,” jumped out at me. Read More “Blast It! Starting on Multiple Meds Makes Sense”

Tight Control and Cardiovascular Disease (Part 3): VADT

July 3, 2008

The VA Diabetes Trial, or VADT, was the third large study of tight blood glucose control and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk in Type 2 diabetes that was presented at the June 2008 ADA Scientific Sessions. You can read about the results of the other two major studies in this vein, ADVANCE and ACCORD, in "Tight Control and Cardiovascular Disease (Part 1): ADVANCE" and "Tight Control and Cardiovascular Disease (Part 2): ACCORD." Read More “Tight Control and Cardiovascular Disease (Part 3): VADT”

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