- Physical Examination
- Surgical Examination
- Ophthalmology
- Clinical Skills
- Orthopedics
- Surgery Videos
- Laparoscopy
- Pediatrics
- Funny Videos
- Cardiothoracic Surgery
- Nursing Videos
- Plastic Surgery
- Otorhinolaryngology
- Histology and Histopathology
- Neurosurgery
- Dermatology
- Pediatric Surgery
- Urology
- Dentistry
- Oncology and Cancers
- Anatomy Videos
- Health and Fitness
- Radiology
- Anaesthesia
- Physical Therapy
- Pharmacology
- Interventional Radiology
- Cardiology
- Endocrinology
- Gynecology
- Emergency Medicine
- Psychiatry and Psychology
- Childbirth Videos
- General Medical Videos
- Nephrology
- Physiology
- Diet and Food Health
- Diabetes Mellitus
- Neurology
- Women Health
- Osteoporosis
- Gastroenterology
- Pulmonology
- Hematology
- Rheumatology
- Toxicology
- Nuclear Medicine
- Infectious Diseases
- Vascular Disease
- Reproductive Health
- Burns and Wound Healing
- Kidney Zone Podcast
- Other
Diabetes Medicines
Medicines that lower blood sugar in type 2 diabetes, plus insulin. Many of the newer medicines in this group also protect the heart and the kidneys.
This page lists all 26 of them in the guide. Open any medicine for its uses, common side effects, major cautions and kidney note.
| Medicine | Brand names | Used for |
|---|---|---|
| Acarbose | Precose | Type 2 diabetes; Slowing carbohydrate absorption after meals |
| Alogliptin | Nesina | Type 2 diabetes; Used alone or combined with other diabetes medicines |
| Canagliflozin | Invokana | Type 2 diabetes; Reducing kidney and heart complications in diabetic kidney disease |
| Dapagliflozin | Farxiga | Type 2 diabetes; Heart failure |
| Dulaglutide | Trulicity | Type 2 diabetes; Reducing heart risk in certain patients with type 2 diabetes |
| Empagliflozin | Jardiance | Type 2 diabetes; Heart failure |
| Exenatide | Byetta, Bydureon | Type 2 diabetes; Used with other diabetes medicines when targets are not met |
| Glimepiride | Amaryl | Type 2 diabetes; Used alone or combined with other diabetes medicines |
| Glipizide | Glucotrol | Type 2 diabetes; Used alone or combined with other diabetes medicines |
| Glyburide | DiaBeta, Glynase | Type 2 diabetes; Diabetes in pregnancy in selected cases, on specialist advice |
| Insulin aspart | NovoLog, Fiasp | Type 1 diabetes; Type 2 diabetes |
| Insulin degludec | Tresiba | Type 1 diabetes; Type 2 diabetes |
| Insulin detemir | Levemir | Type 1 diabetes; Type 2 diabetes |
| Insulin glargine | Lantus, Basaglar, Toujeo | Type 1 diabetes; Type 2 diabetes |
| Insulin isophane | Humulin N, Novolin N | Type 1 diabetes; Type 2 diabetes |
| Insulin lispro | Humalog, Admelog | Type 1 diabetes; Type 2 diabetes |
| Insulin regular | Humulin R, Novolin R | Type 1 diabetes; Type 2 diabetes |
| Linagliptin | Tradjenta | Type 2 diabetes; A DPP-4 option often chosen in chronic kidney disease |
| Liraglutide | Victoza, Saxenda | Type 2 diabetes; Weight management in obesity |
| Metformin | Glucophage, Fortamet | Type 2 diabetes; Prediabetes, in selected patients on clinician advice |
| Pioglitazone | Actos | Type 2 diabetes; Fatty liver disease with diabetes, on specialist advice |
| Repaglinide | Prandin | Type 2 diabetes; Targeting blood sugar rises after meals |
| Saxagliptin | Onglyza | Type 2 diabetes; Used alone or combined with other diabetes medicines |
| Semaglutide | Ozempic, Rybelsus, Wegovy | Type 2 diabetes; Weight management in obesity |
| Sitagliptin | Januvia | Type 2 diabetes; Used alone or combined with other diabetes medicines |
| Tirzepatide | Mounjaro, Zepbound | Type 2 diabetes; Weight management in obesity |
Please note: This page is a patient-education summary, not medical advice, and it deliberately contains no doses. Medicines affect everyone differently — always follow your own prescription and talk to your doctor or pharmacist before starting, stopping or changing any medicine.