Type 2 Diabetes & Injectable Medications

Type 2 diabetes is a chronic condition affecting how the body processes blood sugar, called glucose. It occurs when the body resists insulin, a hormone regulating blood sugar levels.

Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes, making up about 90% to 95% of all diabetes cases. If untreated, type 2 diabetes can lead to serious health conditions such as heart disease, kidney damage, vision problems, blindness and nerve damage.

Injectable medications can be an important component of treating type 2 diabetes. Understanding the different types and how to use them can help you manage your blood sugar levels and prevent complications. Tyler Feldman, DO, family medicine physician with Franciscan Physician Network in Mooresville, discusses diabetes injectable medications and provides information to help you better understand their role in diabetes management and weight loss.

Types Of Injectable Medications To Treat Type 2 Diabetes

Injectable medications can help manage blood sugar levels, reduce the risk of complications and improve your overall health. People with type 2 diabetes can choose from several brands of once-a-week  injectable medication, including Ozempic, Mounjaro and Trulicity.

• Ozempic – Ozempic helps stimulate insulin release from the pancreas, telling your brain you are not as hungry. It also slows down how quickly your stomach empties, helping you feel full longer. Ozempic can also help promote weight loss and is often used with other diabetes medications.
• Trulicity – Trulicity has the least side effects of the once-weekly injectable medications but is less powerful and does not offer as much weight loss as Ozyempic or Mounjaro.
• Mounjaro – A new medicine approved by the FDA in 2021, Mounjaro is a different class of medication with GLP-1 and GIP-activating effects, which help regulate blood sugar.

Mounjaro, Trulicity and Ozempic mimic your gut hormones. Dr. Feldman said, “They essentially act like natural gut hormones and have the same effect as the naturally occurring hormone called glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1 receptor agonists), which the gut releases when eating food.”

Ways Injectable Medications Help With Type 2 Diabetes and Weight Loss

Studies have shown that people with type 2 diabetes combining injectable medications and lifestyle changes, such as diet and exercise, can gain significant benefits.

“When patients take weekly injectables,” said Dr. Feldman, “the medications dramatically lower their blood sugars and also help them lose significant weight.”

In recent clinical trials, participants who took Mounjaro lost about 21% of their body weight. Because it is so effective at weight loss, the manufacturer of Mounjaro is now seeking FDA approval to use the medication not only in diabetes but also for obesity in people who don’t have diabetes.

“These medications cause appetite suppression in the brain,” said Dr. Feldman. “It tells your brain you’re not hungry. These injectables also release insulin from the pancreas only during meals or when you’re ingesting sugar.” 

Other Benefits Of Diabetes Injectible Medications

In addition to lowering glucose levels and suppressing the appetite, other positive results of using any of the injectable medicines for diabetes and weight management care include:

• Reduced risk of major cardiovascular events, such as heart attack and stroke, in people with type 2 diabetes with a high risk of cardiovascular disease
• Reduction in A1C, often up to two points. A1C measures the amount of sugar that collects on red blood cells over the lifespan of a red blood cell, which is around three months. The blood test helps show diabetes control over a three-month period.

Taking an injectable medication to treat type 2 diabetes and manage weight loss can improve your overall health. For people with type 2 diabetes who are also overweight or obese, losing weight can help improve their glucose levels, reduce the risk of diabetes complications and improve their overall quality of life.