New technologies and therapies in the management of diabetes

Although there are numerous effective pharmacotherapeutic agents available to treat type 2 diabetes, 5% to 10% of the population with diabetes experience secondary failure. To help combat this issue, it is imperative that clinicians understand the limitations of some current therapies. Secondary failure can be due to decreasing beta cell function, poor adherence to treatment, weight gain, reduction of exercise, changes in diet, or illness. Glycemic control and cardiovascular risk reduction are of paramount concern; however, the nonglycemic effects of several new therapies to treat diabetes may be advantageous and positively affect the long-term cost of therapy. The discoveries of amylin and glucagon-like peptide-1 have furthered our understanding of the abnormalities involved in diabetes, enabling the development of additional therapeutic options. Incretin-based therapy, including incretin mimetics such as exenatide and the yet-to-be-approved dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors, and new basal and inhaled insulin may change the way we currently treat type 2 diabetes.