Blood glucose-lowering therapy in adults with type 2 diabetes

Abstract

Around 90% of cases of diabetes are type 2 diabetes, where the body either becomes resistant to the effect of the insulin produced or produces inadequate amounts of insulin (Public Health England, 2014). The incidence of diabetes is rising: 6% of people aged 17 years and over in England in 2013 were diagnosed with diabetes (equating to 2.7 million people).
A range of complications are associated with type 2 diabetes, including retinopathy, neuropathy, nephropathy and cardiovascular disease (Diabetes UK, 2015). The effective management of type 2 diabetes, therefore, is essential and should be individualised and underpinned by patient education (National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE), 2015).