Metformin Tablets
500mg · 850mg
Designed to support glycaemic control to manage diabetes mellitus and address tissue insulin sensitivity.
From$0.24/ tabletView
Diabetes Management
Type 2 diabetes now has medicines from several drug classes, many of them combined into a single tablet, alongside insulin for people who need it. Which class or combination suits a person depends on other health conditions as much as on blood glucose itself, which is why the choice is made with a prescriber.
Empagliflozin Tablets
10mg · 25mg
Intended to relieve elevated blood sugar to support glycaemic stability and target renal glucose clearance.
From$4.68/ tabletView
Glucotrol Xl
2.5mg · 5mg · 10mg
Indicated to address chronic blood glucose levels to support metabolic optimisation and manage diabetic complications.
From$0.16/ tabletView
Glucovance
2.5mg + 400mg · 5mg + 500mg
Formulated to alleviate chronic hyperglycaemia to support glycaemic control and target insulin resistance.
From$1.16/ tabletView
Insulin Glargine Injection
100iu
Designed to support long-term glucose stabilisation to manage diabetes mellitus symptoms and alleviate blood sugar spikes.
From$68.44/ vialView
Jentadueto Xr
5mg + 1000mg
Developed to mitigate elevated blood glucose to support long-term metabolic health and target insulin receptor action.
From$1.90/ tabletView
Actoplus Met
15mg + 500mg
Designed to support glycaemic control to manage blood glucose levels and address insulin resistance.
From$2.02/ tabletView
Glucophage Trio
Glimepiride, Metformin, Voglibose
1mg + 0.2mg + 500mg
Utilised to manage complex glycaemic fluctuations to alleviate chronic hyperglycaemia and support tissue insulin sensitivity.
From$1.25/ tabletView
Ddavp Spray
10mcg 2.5ml
Designed to support water retention to manage central diabetes insipidus and alleviate nighttime bedwetting.
From$70.13/ sprayView
Jentadueto
2.5mg + 500mg
Indicated to manage glycaemic control in adults and developed to support blood glucose reduction in type 2 diabetes.
From$1.37/ tabletView
Sitagliptin Tablets
50mg · 100mg
Inhibits DPP-4 to enhance incretin hormones, improving glycaemic control in type 2 diabetes mellitus by increasing insulin secretion and decreasing glucagon in a glucose-dependent manner.
From$2.71/ tabletView
Key points
- NIDDK notes that people with type 1 diabetes need insulin because the pancreas no longer produces it.
- NICE’s guidance on initial medicines for type 2 diabetes includes metformin alongside several other oral drug classes.
- NICE also discusses SGLT-2 inhibitors and GLP-1 receptor agonists for their cardiovascular and kidney effects, not only blood glucose.
Oral medicines for type 2 diabetes
Metformin Tablets contain metformin, used alone or combined with another ingredient in brands such as Metaglip, Jentadueto and Glucovance. Amaryl, Glucotrol XL and Micronase contain the sulfonylureas glimepiride, glipizide and glibenclamide. Tradjenta, Nesina and Sitagliptin Tablets contain the DPP-4 inhibitors linagliptin, alogliptin and sitagliptin, while Invokana, Dapasmart and Empagliflozin Tablets contain the SGLT-2 inhibitors canagliflozin, dapagliflozin and empagliflozin; Dapasmart is also used for heart failure and chronic kidney disease, and Empagliflozin Tablets for heart failure and reducing cardiovascular mortality risk. Glyxambi combines empagliflozin with linagliptin, and Actos, Avandia, Precose, Glyset and Prandin contain pioglitazone, rosiglitazone, acarbose, miglitol and repaglinide.
Insulin and the incretin medicines
Insulin Glargine Injection contains insulin glargine, given by injection for diabetes mellitus. Victoza contains liraglutide, also given by injection, while Rybelsus contains semaglutide as a tablet instead, unusual for a class of medicine that is otherwise injected.
Why DDAVP Spray, Hsquin and Cozaar are not diabetes treatments
DDAVP Spray contains desmopressin, used for central diabetes insipidus and primary nocturnal enuresis (bedwetting); diabetes insipidus is a separate condition from diabetes mellitus and is not related to blood glucose despite the similar name. Hsquin contains hydroxychloroquine, used for rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus and malaria prevention, none of which relate to diabetes. Cozaar contains losartan, a blood pressure medicine also used for diabetic nephropathy and stroke prevention; it treats a complication that can follow diabetes rather than diabetes itself.
Further reading
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