New medications used to treat type 1 and type 2 diabetes are popping up left and right. From 2013-2016 there have been 15 new oral and injectable medications approved for the treatment of diabetes alone. One new class of medications that you might have seen are GLP-1 agonists. This class includes injection drugs like…
Fast-Acting Insulin Fiasp Now Available
Mealtime insulins, or fast-acting insulins, are injected before or after each meal to regulate the blood sugar. Type 1 diabetics require mealtime insulin injections as their pancreas does not produce insulin, whereas type 2 diabetics may only require mealtime insulin if they struggle with blood sugar control after meals or are not achieving their target…
Why do some medications come as pills, and others as injections?
Why do some medications come in tablets and others in capsules? Why are there ointments and creams? And why are some drugs delivered by injection or through an intravenous (IV) drip? Like a lot of things in medicine, the answer can get complicated, but it boils down to this: where a drug needs to…
Rapid-Acting Versus Long-Acting Insulin: What’s the Difference?
For people who need to take insulin, there are a couple of different types—long-acting, short-acting, rapid-acting, intermediate-acting, etc. That’s a lot of options! One question I see most often is the difference between rapid-acting and long-acting insulins. So, let’s get into it. What is rapid-acting insulin? Rapid-acting, or meal-time insulin, is a type of…
Eliquis Generic Alternative Coming in 2018?
Eliquis is a common anticoagulant medication that helps prevent blood clots, stroke, and pulmonary embolism. Common, but not cheap: cash prices average around $488 for a 30-day supply. Currently, there is no Eliquis generic alternative available, but one could be available as early as 2018. Since Eliquis tends to be a maintenance drug, taken for…
FDA Approves First Liquid Spironolactone
Currently, spironolactone is only available in tablet form, which is not an option for those who have difficulty swallowing pills. In order to make this drug more accessible to all, the FDA approved CaroSpir, the 1st liquid version of spironolactone. What is CaroSpir indicated for? CaroSpir is for the treatment of heart failure, high blood…
8 Alternatives to Opioids for Pain
Prescription opioids like oxycodone, hydrocodone, codeine, and morphine have long been considered some of the most helpful drugs for managing acute pain, where the body is immediately reacting to trauma or injury. Each year, over 200 million opioid prescriptions are given out in the United States. Unfortunately, the rates of opioid abuse and overdose deaths…
Extended Release Drugs: Are They Right For You?
One of the biggest downsides to taking a medication is side effects. After a dose of most drugs, the amount in the bloodstream spikes quickly, and then is flushed away within the course of a few hours. This means the amount of medicine in the body can vary at any point in time – and…
FDA Approves Extended Release Version of Lyrica
Lyrica is a common anti-epileptic used to treat muscle pain, fibromyalgia, and seizures. On October 12th, the FDA approved a new extended release version of Lyrica—Lyrica CR. What is Lyrica CR prescribed for? Lyrica CR is for the management of neuropathic pain associated with diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN), and postherpetic neuralgia (PHN). What does CR mean? The CR…
Could Your HbA1c Diabetes Test Be Wrong?
A glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) is a preferred screening test for diabetes. Done easily with a fingerstick in your physician’s office, it eliminates the need for fasting (not eating) prior to the test. The diagnosis of diabetes is confirmed if two consecutive A1c levels are greater than or equal to 6.5. What is the HbA1c? Red…