Initiation of insulin therapy for type 2 diabetes mellitus

Abstract

This program is designed to identify patients in whom diabetes mellitus resists therapy with oral hypoglycemic agents (OHA) and basal insulin administration is needed to maintain the HbA1c at the desired level below 7. Data from 2895 patients (2034 women and 851 men) were available for analysis. Only 2.6% of the patients had the glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) level within the normal values prior to the onset of therapy. The remaining ones had decompensated diabetes mellitus that required supplementation of regular OHA therapy with Lantus insulin. Characteristics of carbohydrate metabolism significantly improved and decreased to the desired values within 12 weeks after the initiation of the combined treatment without enhancement of the risk of hypoglycemia. Results of the study demonstrate beneficial effect of the early prescription of basal insulin. Administration of glargine insulin permits to rapidly and safely reach optimal parameters of carbohydrate metabolism in the majority of the patients.