Oral agents

There are a number of pills available to help control blood glucose. They work in a variety of ways on the multiple factors that are believed to contribute to high blood glucose. These medications include: Medications that stimulate the pancreas to release more insulin: Diabeta (glyburide), Micronase (glyburide), Glynase (micronized glyburide), Glucotro1 (glipizide), Glucotrol XL (glipizide extended release), Amaryl (glimepiride), Prandin (repaglinide) and Starlix (nateglinide).

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• Medications that help muscle cells use insulin better: Actos (pioglitazone) and Avandia (rosiglitazone).
• Medications that slow down the absorption of carbohydrates from the stomach and intestines: Precose (acarbose) and Glyset (miglitol).
• Medications that decrease the amount of glucose released from the the liver: Glucophage (metformin); Riomet (metformin liquid); and Glucophage XR, Fortamet, and Glumetza (metformin extended release).

Frequently, physicians will prescribe one type of oral medication and discover it isn't helping to control blood glucose effectively. In the past, the patient would most likely have been put on insulin. Now, physicians can try another type of medication--or one of the combination drugs available: Glucovance (glyburide and metformin), Metaglip (glipizide and metformin), Avandamet (rosiglitazone and metformin), Actoplus Met (piogllitazone and metformin), Avandaryl (rosiglitazone and glimepiride), and Metaglip (glipizide and metformin).