oral hypoglycaemic drugs

(oral antidiabetic drugs)

Drugs that are taken by mouth to reduce the concentration of glucose (sugar) in the blood; they act in various ways. Oral hypoglycaemic drugs are usually prescribed for people with type II (noninsulin-dependent) diabetes mellitus, in whom there is still some natural insulin production by the pancreas. The main oral hypoglycaemic drugs used are the sulphonylureas and metformin hydrochloride (a biguanide). Others include acarbose, exenatide, nateglinide, pioglitazone and rosiglitazone (the thiazolidinediones), repaglinide, sitagliptin, and vildagliptin.

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