Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 15, 2026

Improving IV Insulin Administration in a Community Hospital
12:08

Improving IV Insulin Administration in a Community Hospital

Published on: June 11, 2012

Achieving antihyperglycemic treatment goals with incretin-related therapies

Lawrence Blonde1

  • 1Ochsner Medical Center, Department of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolic Diseases, 1514 Jefferson Hwy, New Orleans, LA 70121, USA. lblonde@oschsner.org

The American Journal of Managed Care
|January 19, 2013
PubMed

Insights

New incretin-based therapies offer effective type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) management. These treatments, including dipeptidyl peptidase 4 inhibitors and glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists, lower blood glucose with minimal risk of hypoglycemia or weight gain.

Area of Science:

  • Endocrinology
  • Metabolic Diseases
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) management presents significant challenges.
  • Current therapies often lead to undesirable side effects like hypoglycemia and weight gain.
  • Advances in understanding T2DM pathophysiology have spurred novel therapeutic approaches.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the role and efficacy of incretin-related antihyperglycemic therapies in T2DM management.
  • To highlight the benefits of incretin-based agents regarding glucose control and side effect profiles.

Main Methods:

  • Review of clinical trial data and existing clinical experience with incretin-based therapies.
  • Analysis of the mechanism of action for dipeptidyl peptidase 4 inhibitors and glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists.

Main Results:

  • Incretin-related therapies enhance insulin secretion and suppress glucagon secretion in a glucose-dependent manner.
  • These agents effectively lower blood glucose levels.
  • Low incidence of hypoglycemia and weight gain observed with incretin-based treatments.

Conclusions:

  • Incretin-based therapies, including DPP-4 inhibitors and GLP-1 RAs, are valuable additions to T2DM treatment algorithms.
  • These agents demonstrate efficacy and good tolerability.
  • They offer an improved therapeutic option by mitigating risks of hypoglycemia and weight gain.

More Related Videos

A Zebrafish Model of Diabetes Mellitus and Metabolic Memory10:03

A Zebrafish Model of Diabetes Mellitus and Metabolic Memory

Published on: February 28, 2013

A Method for Mouse Pancreatic Islet Isolation and Intracellular cAMP Determination12:33

A Method for Mouse Pancreatic Islet Isolation and Intracellular cAMP Determination

Published on: June 25, 2014

Related Concept Videos

Glucagon-like Receptor Agonists01:24

Glucagon-like Receptor Agonists

Incretins include glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP), which stimulate insulin secretion post-meals. In type 2 diabetes, GIP's efficacy is reduced, making GLP-1 a viable drug target. GIP originates from preproGIP.
GLP-1, when administered in high doses intravenously, triggers insulin secretion, inhibits glucagon release, slows gastric emptying, reduces food intake, and restores normal insulin secretion. However, its rapid inactivation by the...
Diabetes: Management and Pharmacotherapy01:15

Diabetes: Management and Pharmacotherapy

The therapy for diabetes aims to alleviate hyperglycemia-related symptoms, prevent acute metabolic decompensation, and reduce chronic end-organ complications. Glycemic control is evaluated through short-term (self-monitoring, continuous glucose monitoring) and long-term (A1c, fructosamine) metrics, enabling near real-time tracking of blood glucose levels and reflecting glycemic control over specific time frames.
Insulin remains the cornerstone of treatment for most patients with type 1 and many...
Dipeptidyl Peptidase 4 Inhibitors01:23

Dipeptidyl Peptidase 4 Inhibitors

Dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP-4) is a serine protease widely distributed in the body. It's involved in the inactivation of GLP-1 and GIP hormones, which are crucial for insulin regulation. DPP-4 inhibitors, such as sitagliptin (Januvia), saxagliptin (Onglyza), linagliptin (Tradjenta), alogliptin (Nesina), and vildagliptin (Galvus), help increase the proportion of active GLP-1, enhancing insulin secretion. These inhibitors work by competitively binding to DPP-4. This binding causes a significant...
Oral Hypoglycemic Agents: Biguanides and Glitazones01:26

Oral Hypoglycemic Agents: Biguanides and Glitazones

Biguanides, particularly metformin (Glucophage), are insulin sensitizers that enhance glucose uptake, thereby reducing insulin resistance. Unlike sulfonylureas, metformin doesn't prompt insulin secretion, which helps to curb hypoglycemia risk. Metformin is beneficial in treating conditions like polycystic ovary syndrome due to its insulin-resistance reduction capability. The drug's primary action involves curtailing hepatic gluconeogenesis, a significant contributor to high blood glucose levels...
Oral Hypoglycemic Agents: Glinides01:06

Oral Hypoglycemic Agents: Glinides

Repaglinide (Prandin) and Nateglinide (Starlix), known as glinides, are oral insulin secretagogues that stimulate insulin release from pancreatic β cells by closing the ATP-sensitive potassium channels (KATP channel). Repaglinide controls insulin release from pancreatic β cells by managing potassium efflux. It shares two binding sites with sulfonylureas and also has a unique site, indicating overlapping mechanisms of action. With a rapid onset and a 4-7 hour duration, it effectively manages...
Oral Hypoglycemic Agents: α-Glucosidase Inhibitors01:19

Oral Hypoglycemic Agents: α-Glucosidase Inhibitors

α-glucosidase inhibitors, including acarbose (Precose), miglitol (Glyset), and voglibose (Voglib) (primarily available in Asia), are drugs that control blood sugar levels by delaying the digestion of starch and disaccharides. They achieve this by inhibiting α-glucosidase enzymes in the intestine, which slow the absorption of carbohydrates in the intestine, which in turn leads to a prolonged release of the glucoregulatory hormone GLP-1 from intestinal L-cells.
Acarbose and miglitol are typically...