Patient was educated on biguanides and mechanism of action as follows:
- Biguanides are oral antidiabetic drugs, used especially in patients with Type-2 diabetes.
- Biguanides control the blood sugars by the following mechanisms:
- Decreasing gluconeogenesis – Gluconeogenesis is a process that occurs in the human body in which glucose is made from sources other than carbohydrates, such as, proteins and fats. Gluconeogenesis results in increased blood sugar levels. Biguanides inhibit gluconeogenesis in the liver, thereby, contributing towards reduced blood sugar.
- Biguanides help in reducing absorption of glucose in the intestines, thus contributing towards reduced blood sugar.
- Biguanides also help in increasing the sensitivity of skeletal muscle for insulin. When the sensitivity for insulin increases, this results in increased glucose uptake by skeletal muscle. When more glucose is taken up by the muscle, this reduces the blood glucose.
- Reducing the blood sugars will reduced the need for insulin secretion from the Beta-cells of islets of pancreas.
- Since these drugs also improve the sensitivity of muscle cells for insulin, they are used especially in individuals with insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes.
- Continued lowering of blood glucose concentrations also result in lowering of hemoglobin A1c, which is an indicator of blood glucose control over the past 2 to 3 months.
- Biguanides can used either alone or in combination with other oral antidiabetic medications and insulin.
