[The Evolution of Diabetes Treatment: Combining Innovative Pharmacological Therapies and Advanced Devices toward...

The global prevalence of diabetes is rapidly increasing, with one in six adults in the Republic of Korea being affected. Traditional diabetes management focuses on glycemic control to prevent complications. However, recent advancements emphasize individualized treatment strategies. These involve using drugs with a low risk of hypoglycemia and the potential to prevent various metabolic diseases, aiming for diabetes remission, or selecting medications based on comorbidities, regardless of blood glucose levels. Sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors and glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists not only improve glycemic control but also offer cardiovascular and renal protective effects, making them direct therapeutic options for these conditions. Additionally, early combination therapy, involving medications with different mechanisms of action from those used in the early stages of diabetes, is being increasingly promoted to minimize treatment failure and reduce diabetes-related complications. Innovations in diabetes management devices, including continuous glucose monitoring systems, smart insulin pens, and automated insulin delivery systems, have improved glucose control accuracy and enhanced treatment adherence. For type 1 diabetes, novel therapies, such as once-weekly basal insulin and immunotherapies, have been introduced, with various approaches targeting autoimmune responses currently under investigation. This study explored the impact of these emerging therapeutic agents and management devices on diabetes care and presented future prospects for advancing diabetes remission, based on recent research trends.