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Medicines for Type 2 Diabetes
These 32 medicines from the Drug Guide are used in type 2 diabetes. A medicine appearing here does not mean it is right for every person with the condition — your prescriber matches the medicine to you. For videos, articles and guides, visit the Type 2 Diabetes condition hub.
| 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 |
| Captopril | Capoten | High blood pressure; Heart failure |
| Dapagliflozin | Farxiga | Type 2 diabetes; Heart failure |
| Dulaglutide | Trulicity | Type 2 diabetes; Reducing heart risk in certain patients with type 2 diabetes |
| Duloxetine | Cymbalta | Depression; Generalized anxiety disorder |
| 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 |
| Irbesartan | Avapro | High blood pressure; Kidney protection in 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 |
| Losartan | Cozaar | High blood pressure; Kidney protection in type 2 diabetes |
| Metformin | Glucophage, Fortamet | Type 2 diabetes; Prediabetes, in selected patients on clinician advice |
| Metoclopramide | Reglan | Nausea and vomiting; Gastroparesis (slow stomach emptying in diabetes) |
| Pioglitazone | Actos | Type 2 diabetes; Fatty liver disease with diabetes, on specialist advice |
| Pregabalin | Lyrica | Nerve pain from diabetes and after shingles; Fibromyalgia |
| 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.