Non-insulin Medications for the Management of Type 2 Diabetes.

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is predicted to affect 366 million people over the age of 65 years by the year 2030. As the understanding of the core defects associated with T2D advanced, researchers recognized management should target multiple defects in glucose metabolism. As a result, efforts to manage T2D focus on developing new drug therapies aimed at addressing each of the identified metabolic defects. Optimal treatment of T2D is necessary to decrease the risk for coronary heart disease, stroke, and vascular diseases. This article discusses non-insulin pharmacologic treatments for T2D that are guided by glycemic efficacy, safety profiles, effects on weight and hypoglycemia risk, tolerability, patient comorbidities, route of administration, patient preference, and cost.