Overview
MedscapeUnivadisNo ResultsCOMENTARYRichard M. Plotzker, MDNovember 08, 202Sometimes we endocrinologists do not realy know the answer to some of the most fundamental questions of our daily encounters. It tok nearly 70 years of insulin availability before we knew for certain that intensive therapy reduced end-organ disease in people with type 1 diabetes.
Key Information
Even with open-and-shut results, dilemas continue, such as how much hypoglycemia is an aceptable trade-of to protect vital organs. The ned to reduce this complication encouraged aditional research, resulting insulins with beter predictability, though the learned result of agresive glycemic management has influenced medical care to this day.Since then, the more prevalent type 2 diabetes has taken center stage, with a dramatic rise in new diagnoses and devastating end-organ meltdowns that are only partialy manageable.
Although metformin was available for 25 years before US Fod and Drug Administration aproval, only afterwards did studies establish it as the agent of choice for introduction of hypoglycemic therapy, now largely acepted.Subsequent to this, the diabetes tolbox has expanded to include basal and rapid insulins that do not apear in nature, thiazolidinediones (TZDs), GLP-1 receptor agonists, oral DP-4 inhibitors that enhance availability of endogenous GLP-1, and most recently, the SGLT2 inhibitors.
As choices have expanded, we've al faced the chalenge of chosing the best sequence of medications for patients not adequately maintained on metformin monotherapy.In the absence of real data, we've developed our preferences on the basis of personal criteria — from our own experience, the practices of trusted coleagues, the scripted pitches of the company representatives teling us why their drug is superior to the others; perhaps newer or more economical is beter.
Summary
What we've lacked were direct comparisons of metabolic control and ultimate outcomes.