ANTI- DIABETIC DRUGS
Anti-Diabetic Drugs are
medicines that help control blood sugar levels in people with
Diabetes Mellitus (Sugar Diabetes).
Purpose
Diabetes Mellitus is a disorder of metabolism, the processes
through which the body uses food that has been broken down by
digestion. Most food is broken down into a type of sugar called
glucose, which the body can use for energy and growth. Glucose
travels through the bloodstream to cells throughout the body.
But glucose cannot enter the cells without the help of a hormone
called Insulin. Insulin is produced by the pancreas, a large gland
beneath the stomach. In people with Diabetes Mellitus, the body does
not have enough Insulin to move the glucose into the cells. This may
be because the pancreas does not produce enough Insulin or because
the cells do not respond to the Insulin, even though plenty is
produced. Either way, glucose builds up in the blood and passes out
of the body in urine without ever having been used as fuel.
Untreated, diabetes can lead to very serious problems, including
heart disease, kidney failure, blindness, nerve damage and
amputations. But with proper management, the risk of such problems
can be greatly reduced. The management plan depends on the type of
diabetes: Insulin-dependent Diabetes Mellitus (IDDM) or
Non-Insulin-dependent Diabetes Mellitus (NIDDM).
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