Diabetes and Weight Management Part 2-Pharmacological Agents for Diabetes and Obesity Infographic

Pharmacological Agents for Diabetes and Obesity Infographic

Pdf Summary

This infographic serves as a visual guide based on recommendations from the American Diabetes Association’s (ADA) 2023 Standards of Care in Diabetes. It highlights the role of pharmacologic agents for type 2 diabetes and obesity, emphasizing the importance of incretins in managing weight and delaying the progression from prediabetes to type 2 diabetes. Incretins and other weight management strategies have shown to improve glycemia, reduce glucose-lowering medication use, substantially lower A1C and fasting glucose levels, and promote sustained diabetes remission for at least two years. These agents are also beneficial in achieving and maintaining weight loss and minimizing obesity-associated health risks.<br /><br />Key treatment options for overweight and obesity in type 2 diabetes include intensive behavioral counseling, obesity pharmacotherapy, and bariatric surgery, stratified by BMI categories. Notably, specific cut points for BMI recommendations differ slightly for Asian American individuals.<br /><br />When choosing glucose-lowering medications for people with type 2 diabetes, it's important to consider their impact on weight. Minimizing medications for comorbid conditions that cause weight gain is also crucial. Obesity pharmacotherapy can be effective when used alongside proper nutrition, physical activity, and behavioral counseling for those with a BMI of 27 kg/m² or higher.<br /><br />For pharmacotherapy to be considered effective, typically 5% weight loss should be seen after three months of use. If there's insufficient early response or significant safety or tolerability issues arise, discontinuation, substitution, or the addition of different treatment strategies should be evaluated.<br /><br />The infographic also categorizes glucose-lowering medications by their weight loss efficacy: Very High (e.g., Exenatide, Liraglutide), High (e.g., SGLT2 inhibitors, DPP-4 inhibitors, Metformin), Intermediate, and Neutral.<br /><br />For further information or professional guidance, ADA provides a contact line and website.

Keywords

American Diabetes Association

2023 Standards of Care

type 2 diabetes

obesity

incretins

weight management

glucose-lowering medications

pharmacotherapy

bariatric surgery

BMI