Diabetes and Drugs Treatment Week 5 Discussion Essay
Diabetes and Drugs Treatment Week 5 Discussion Essay
Diabetes and Drugs Treatment Week 5 Discussion Essay
Diabetes and Drugs Treatment
Diabetes is a group of endocrine disorders that result in an increase in blood glucose levels. There are different types of diabetes, including juvenile diabetes, type 1, type 2, and gestational diabetes. This discussion presents the differences between diabetes types, a selected treatment for one of the diabetes types, the drug’s preparation and administration, dietary considerations, and the short-term and long-term impact of the selected type of diabetes on the patient.
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Type 1 diabetes, also known as juvenile diabetes or insulin-dependent diabetes, entails an autoimmune reaction that forces the body to produce little to no insulin, whereby the patient is required to take insulin daily. Type 2 diabetes, on the other hand, occurs when the body cannot use insulin effectively, and therefore it is difficult to maintain blood sugar levels. Gestational diabetes is a condition that occurs in pregnancy and goes away after giving birth. However, patients with gestational diabetes are at a higher risk of type 2 diabetes.
The selected diabetes type is Type 2 diabetes. According to Rosenthal and Burchu (2021), one of the drugs used to treat type 2 diabetes is Metformin. Metformin treats and manages type 2 diabetes by lowering blood sugar levels in patients whose diet and exercise have failed to regulate blood glucose. Baker et al. (2021) note that Metformin, a biguanide, is a first-line monotherapy that is used in combination with other glucose-lowering medications. Metformin is administered orally in doses ranging from 500-2550mg daily. Corcoran and Jacobs (2022) note that metformin is administered with a meal to reduce gastrointestinal upset and titrated weekly to reduce the risk.
The dietary considerations while using metformin include restrictions to using high-fiber foods, saturated fats, sodium, and refined carbohydrates. These foods are restricted due to negative metabolic consequences. Type 2 diabetes impacts patients significantly. The short-term effects of type 2 diabetes include controlling blood sugar levels to avoid complications. Type 2 diabetes patients also have short-term health impacts, including headaches, fatigue, blurred vision, and frequent urination.
Additionally, the side effects of type two diabetes medications such as metformin include gastrointestinal upset and diarrhea (Corcoran &Jacobs, 2021). The long-term impact of type 2 diabetes on the patient includes damage to vital organs due to high blood glucose levels over time. Other health impacts include stroke, kidney problems, and heart attacks. More so, other non-health-related impacts include reduced productivity and increased healthcare costs. For example, a patient with type 2 diabetes must spend more on medications, blood sugar monitoring devices, and maintaining required dietary recommendations.
All types of diabetes mellitus significantly impact patients’ health. Type 2 diabetes is the most common diabetes type, and treated and managed using metformin. Metformin is one of the most used drug therapies, combined with other blood glucose-lowering medications.
References
Baker, C., Retzik-Stahr, C., Singh, V., Plomondon, R., Anderson, V., & Rasouli, N. (2021). Should Metformin remain the first-line therapy for treatment of type 2 diabetes? Therapeutic Advances in Endocrinology and Metabolism, 12, 2042018820980225. https://doi.org/10.1177/2042018820980225
Corcoran, C. & Jacobs, T.F. (2022) Metformin. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Retrieved from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK518983/
Rosenthal, L. D., & Burchum, J. R. (2021). Lehne’s pharmacotherapeutics for advanced practice nurses and physician assistants (2nd ed.) St. Louis, MO: Elsevier.
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DIABETES AND DRUG TREATMENTS
Each year, 1.5 million Americans are diagnosed with diabetes (American Diabetes Association, 2019). If left untreated, diabetic patients are at risk for several alterations, including heart disease, stroke, kidney failure, neuropathy, and blindness. There are various methods for treating diabetes, many of which include some form of drug therapy. The type of diabetes as well as the patient’s behavior factors will impact treatment recommendations.
For this Discussion, you compare types of diabetes, including drug treatments for type 1, type 2, gestational, and juvenile diabetes.
Reference: American Diabetes Association. (2019). Statistics about diabetes. Retrieved from http://diabetes.org/diabetes-basics/statistics/
To Prepare:
• Review the Resources for this module and reflect on differences between types of diabetes, including type 1, type 2, gestational, and juvenile diabetes.
• Select one type of diabetes to focus on for this Discussion.
• Consider one type of drug used to treat the type of diabetes you selected, including proper preparation and administration of this drug. Then, reflect on dietary considerations related to treatment.
• Think about the short-term and long-term impact of the diabetes you selected on patients, including effects of drug treatments.
Post a brief explanation of the differences between the types of diabetes, including type 1, type 2, gestational, and juvenile diabetes. Describe one type of drug used to treat the type of diabetes you selected, including proper preparation and administration of this drug. Be sure to include dietary considerations related to treatment. Then, explain the short-term and long-term impact of this type of diabetes on patients. including effects of drug treatments. Be specific and provide examples.