The main goal of type 2 diabetes treatment is to keep your blood sugar level within a target range. The American Diabetes Association recommends the following blood sugar goals for people with diabetes:
- Before meals: Your premeal blood glucose should be between 90 mg/dL and 130 mg/dL.
- After meals: Your highest postmeal (1 to 2 hours after eating) blood glucose should be less than 180 mg/dL.
- Your average blood sugar for the last 2–3 months (A1C): Your A1C should be less than 7%.
Reasons for high blood sugar levels
Healthy eating and physical activity are always essential to help meet these goals, but despite your best efforts, your blood sugar could end up out of control due to one or more of the following factors:
- Stress or illness.
- Change in diet.
- Limited physical activity.
- Need for medication or adjustment of medication.
- Forgetting to take diabetes medication as prescribed.
- The natural progression of type 2 diabetes.
People with type 2 diabetes still produce insulin. However, two things can happen:
1. their body doesn’t respond to insulin’s action (it’s resistant), or
2. there isn’t enough insulin being produced.
Duetact contains two medications in one tablet that, along with healthy eating and physical activity, work together to help lower your blood sugar. The ACTOS component of duetact works by decreasing insulin resistance. And the glimepiride component works mainly by stimulating the pancreas to release more insulin.
Next: Duetact, cholesterol, and blood fats (triglycerides)
Management of type 2 diabetes should also include nutritional counseling, weight reduction as needed, and exercise.
Please see Important Safety Information, including warning about heart failure, below.