- With Mayo Clinic diabetes educators
Nancy Klobassa Davidson, R.N., and Peggy Moreland, R.N.
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Nancy Klobassa Davidson, R.N., and Peggy Moreland, R.N.
Nancy Klobassa Davidson and Peggy Moreland
Nancy Klobassa Davidson, R.N., B.S.N, C.D.E
Nancy Klobassa Davidson is a registered nurse who has worked in diabetes education for 17 years. She is a certified diabetes educator (C.D.E.) and is currently in graduate school working on a Master of Science in nursing (M.S.N.) and health care education.Nancy works with adults who have type 1, type 2 and other forms of diabetes. Nancy is coordinator of the Diabetes Unit's intensive insulin therapy program within the Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, Metabolism, & Nutrition at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. Nancy has worked extensively with insulin pump therapy and continuous interstitial glucose sensing.
Peggy Moreland, R.N., M.S.N.
Peggy Moreland is a certified diabetes educator (C.D.E.) in the Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, Metabolism, & Nutrition at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn.Peggy graduated with a Master of Science in Nursing and Health Care Education from the University of Phoenix and is a member of the American Association of Diabetes Educators and the American Diabetes Association. A certified diabetes educator (C.D.E.), Peggy enjoys working with patients to set and achieve diabetes self-management goals.
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Living with diabetes blog
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May 1, 2012
Type 2 diabetes medications
By Nancy Klobassa Davidson, R.N., and Peggy Moreland, R.N.
New pharmaceutical company research is leading to an influx of new drug classifications for type 2 diabetes in the United States. The diabetes education department at Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn., is having difficulty keeping the patient education brochure for oral/injectable diabetes medications current. As of right now, 10 classifications of diabetes drugs (not including insulin) exist. In addition, there are diabetes combination medications available, as well as one drug that combines cholesterol medication with diabetes medication in one pill.
What's interesting is that these new classifications target specific body systems that can affect type 2 diabetes control. Some of these medications target the brain, pancreas, liver, stomach, intestines and muscles. The number of systems these medications target illustrates the complexity of the disease.
One important consideration if you're deciding on a medication is the cost. When a drug company develops a new drug, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) grants them a patent to market the drug for a set amount of time. When the drug patent expires, it becomes a generic drug, and other companies are able to manufacture it, which typically reduces the price. With the current increase in new drug competition, the generics are even cheaper. FDA regulations are designed to promote a balance between new drug innovation and the generic drug competition.
When your doctor prescribes a new diabetes medication for you, ask him or her how it works and how effective it is at controlling your diabetes. Of course, you still need to do your part of the diabetes management (diet, exercise, and properly taking medication), too. Also, ask the provider the estimated cost of the medication and if there is a comparative generic drug that would work for you. Generic drugs can save you money.
Have a good week.
Regards,
Nancy
19 comments posted
November 5, 2012 1:38 p.m.
Thank you for your many good articles and tips. I think I am through reading the blog comments though -- too much negativity and whining. And the leader of the negativity is, once again, "Susie". I appreciate all of your many helpful tips on how to cope with a very difficult disease. Rock on!
- Linda
October 5, 2012 6:37 p.m.
My bloodsugar is 550. How much higher should it be to die?
- DJ
August 22, 2012 9:16 p.m.
That's good advice. I've been lknioog for any excuse I can to go down that road, but had been (and still am) a little worried about the financial implications and the amount of effort required. It's such an integral part of my life in many other ways though. Well, if someone from the YouTubes tells me to keep trying, who am I to argue? I'm sick of doing all my own thinking! I shall obey your command master. O_O So, get degree, then become expert on whether ketones are byproducts.
- Ahmad
July 20, 2012 4:46 p.m.
My daughter & husband are type 2 . My question is on drugs& food's and such that are to help for diabetics and other diseases are all expensive. In general wouldn't it make sense to charge more for things that can harm you, instead of the other way around?
- sharon
July 14, 2012 9:40 a.m.
The article didn't help me, I was hopping to read the name of the drugs (medication's) that are new, they are so many that I cannot take because of stomach discomfort.
- Viana
July 1, 2012 10:13 a.m.
can you take to different types of metformin ? One slow release and one fast release?
- Eileen
May 31, 2012 3:27 p.m.
I think its also important to consider the side effects and how they would affect you individually. If you have a history of bladder cancer for instance, you might not want to take actos
- carol
May 11, 2012 12:41 a.m.
Sorry I did not get that the "gest" of the article was about generic drugs. You speak of new drugs and you do not mention biologic drugs. Maybe you could tell everyone why we do not have generic insulin.Maybe you could inform people that the FDA has been ten years "trying" to put forth guidance for the approval of generic insulin. Available in Europe. You are much too concerned about writing in very general terms. Rememeber I am PART of the management team---I AM THE LEADER.
- susie
May 10, 2012 4:39 p.m.
The best way to treat Type 2 Diabetes is to cure it. Healthy eating and exercise is best. If you choose to go the route of a weight loss surgery, I heard about a Dr. in Costa Rica who is claiming to cure the disease with a modified gastric bypass technique. Dr. Zafrani is his name and this is the video he's got on YouTube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bn8U79R99A It's not done in the US currently. My guess is because the drug companies are making too much money and they have someone important "in their pocket". (meaning they owe them) Believe me everyone is getting paid from the Rx drugs not just the pharma companies.
- Drew
May 10, 2012 2:48 p.m.
Questions on drugs? Try http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/diabetes-tre
atment/DA00089 - Nancy and Peggy
May 10, 2012 2:44 p.m.
Sorry readers, the gist of the article was about generic drugs and how they become generic drugs. Also, I wanted to show the rapid influx of new drugs for type 2 diabetes and the complexity of the disease. Unfortunately I can not address all the questions below in one article, but this will give me something to work on.
- Nancy and Peggy
May 9, 2012 11:41 p.m.
Once, again, another poorly written article.Do you really think doctors know or care the price of drugs. Every patient is in a different drug plan so it is the patient's responsibility to know what are the preferred drugs for their plan. In my case one company is tier 2 and one tier 3 so I inform my Dr to write to the tier 2 drugs.
- Susie
May 9, 2012 6:32 p.m.
Overall comment have been universal that what is the purpose of the article when there is no accompanying attachments reflecting the different types of diabetes medications, the current known issues (problems) with them, if there are any in the future coming out, as well as those generic ones they spoke of, along with average costs. Writing an article just for the sake of getting into print or in this case the Internet does not help anyone who depends upon these articles for current/updated data to talk with their care providers. I hope in the future they will be more conscious of what they write and ensure it is suffient.
- John
May 9, 2012 4:55 p.m.
It's really important to know about these drugs so we're not going to tell you anything other than you better know about them! So much of this newsletter, issue after issue, are teaser headlines with very little substantaive content.
- joan
May 9, 2012 4:47 p.m.
The article really missed the mark. It would have been nice to learn what these new drugs were and the possible uses of them for people like me with Type II
- Bob
May 9, 2012 4:17 p.m.
This article did not help because it did not list the medications so that we could be aware.
- Don
May 9, 2012 3:11 p.m.
My husband was recently diagnosed and I have to say that his Doctor didn't know much more than we did and just spouted what the pharmaceutical salespeople told him. My husband was put on Metformin and Victoza. Upon reading the information on Victoza, I found that is was NOT a drug to be started on without any previous medication for diabetes. Also, that there were significant health concerns (cancer among then) that would indicate more careful consideration of this drug. I took the information to the MD and we took my husband off Victoza for the present. It is sad that the doctors do not take the time to learn about the drugs they prescribe. Also, he had no clue that it cost $500.00 per month. The medical profession must become more educated and aware of the medications they use and they should NOT just follow the advice of the pharmaceutical salespeople!
- Pat
May 8, 2012 2:39 p.m.
This was a pointless article. I agree with the previous comment. It might have been more useful if the authors had published the names of the new drugs.
- Mike
May 8, 2012 2:32 p.m.
If there are new drugs there won't be a generic. Those of us with Medicare Blue Rx will have to pay the full price becaue they won't accept new drugs. Idon't understand the question of what to choose when the doctors are the ones who prescribe and they have the knowlege, not the patient.
- Ferne
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