Patient Care

Type 2 Diabetes Medications

2024/10/18

Although diet and exercise can lower blood glucose levels, most people with Type 2 Diabetes require medications to achieve ideal blood glucose levels. It is common to require more than one type of medication, depending on individual needs.

There are various types of medications for Type 2 Diabetes, and your healthcare team will work with you to determine which ones are best for you.

Personalising your treatment 

The choice of medication(s) depends on:

  1. How high your blood sugar levels are.
  2. Potential side effects associated with the medication, such as weight gain or low blood sugar episodes (hypoglycaemia). If you experience side effects, talk to your healthcare provider. They might suggest ways to manage these effects or explore alternative medications. For instance, metformin might cause nausea and diarrhoea, but these effects often lessen if you take it after food. In addition, the side effects may disappear after a while as your body gets used to the medication.
  3. Other health problems you may have, resulting in some medications being more suitable or unsuitable for you.
  4. Cost - You may be eligible for subsidies for some diabetes medications.
  5. Your daily routines (e.g. shift work).
  6. Whether you are planning for pregnancy or already pregnant. Only some medications are safe to be used during pregnancy.

    Good practices

    1.  Take your medications regularly as prescribed. Know your dose and timing schedule. 
    2. Check the expiry date of your medications and store them in a cool, dry place. Do not take medications that have expired. 
    3. Consider using tools such as a pill box or set reminders on your mobile phone or calendar. 
    4. If you miss a dose of oral medications, skip the missed dose if it is almost time for your next scheduled dose. Do not take extra medicine to make up for the missed dose. 
    5. Seek emergency medical attention if you have overdosed on diabetes medications. 
    6. Contact your healthcare provider for a refill of medication if you run out of medications before your next appointment. Do not stop your medications without asking your doctor. 
    Types of commonly prescribed oral medications
    MedicationHow should I take my medicine?How does this medicine work?

     Metformin

    • Metformin
    • Metformin XR (Glucophage XR®) 
    Take tablet(s) with meal or after meal to reduce gastro-intestinal side effects (e.g. loose stools). 

    Do not split/ chew/ crush Metformin XR tablets. 
    Helps the body use insulin more effectively. 

    Sulfonylureas 

    Take tablet(s) within 30 minutes before meal(s). 

    Do not miss or delay meals. 
    Increases insulin secretion by the pancreas. 

     SGLT-2 Inhibitors 

    Take tablet(s) before the first meal of the day. Increases glucose excretion in urine. 

    DPP-4 Inhibitors

    Take tablet(s) with meal(s). Increases insulin secretion by the pancreas. 

    Oral GLP-1 receptor agonist 

    • Semaglutide (Rybelsus®) 
    Take tablet on an empty stomach with a sip of water. Wait at least 30 minutes before eating, drinking or taking other oral medications.  

    Do not split, crush or chew the tablets. 
    Increases insulin secretion by the pancreas, reduces appetite, slows down digestion, and causes weight loss. 
    Acarbose
    (Glucobay®) 
    Take tablet(s) with the first mouthful of food, or immediately before each of the three main meals. Reduces carbohydrate 
    absorption. 
    Pioglitazone  
    (Actos®) 
    Take tablet(s) before or after meal(s). Helps the body use insulin more effectively. 
    Repaglinide 
    (Novonorm®) 
    Take tablet(s) immediately before each main meal.  

    Do not miss or delay meals. 
    Increases insulin secretion by the  
    pancreas. 
    Types of commonly prescribed injectable medications
    MedicationHow should I take my medicine?How does this medicine work?

    GLP-1 Receptor Agonist 

    Inject with a pen once a day in the morning, or once a week on the same day each week (depending on type of medication). Increases insulin secretion by the pancreas, reduces appetite, slows down digestion, and causes weight loss. 
     Insulin Inject with either insulin syringe or pen.  

    There are different types of insulin to fit your body’s needs.  
    Some people with Type 2 Diabetes are unable to produce insulin. Therefore, insulin injections will replace what the body cannot make. 
    Fixed ratio combination of insulin and GLP-1 receptor agonist  
    (Soliqua®
    Inject with a pen once a day in the morning. This medication is a combination of a GLP-1 receptor agonist and basal insulin in a single injection. 
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