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Intensifying Treatment of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: Adding Insulin
Author(s) -
Peters Kyle R.
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
pharmacotherapy: the journal of human pharmacology and drug therapy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.227
H-Index - 109
eISSN - 1875-9114
pISSN - 0277-0008
DOI - 10.1592/phco.31.12.54s
Subject(s) - medicine , insulin , glycemic , diabetes mellitus , type 2 diabetes , type 2 diabetes mellitus , basal insulin , intensive care medicine , basal (medicine) , diabetes management , endocrinology
Treatment for patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus is typically initiated with a combination of lifestyle modification and oral drugs. This treatment provides sustained glycemic control in some patients, but many others require administration of insulin as their disease progresses and pancreatic β cells are lost. One of the most important points in long‐term care for patients with type 2 diabetes is the transition to insulin therapy. Health care professionals must choose the most appropriate insulin preparations for management of patients with type 2 diabetes who cannot achieve treatment goals by using other therapies. These include basal, premixed, and basal‐bolus insulin regimens. In addition, there are multiple approaches to initiation of insulin treatment, including addition of basal insulin to oral drugs, switching patients to a premixed insulin formulation, or basal‐bolus treatment. The pharmacist can play a key role in the transition to insulin therapy by providing education and assisting in day‐to‐day management of patients with type 2 diabetes who require insulin for intensification of treatment.