Many people with type 2 diabetes take a drug called metformin to help control their blood sugar levels.
But for most patients, metformin alone isn’t enough. They usually need to add another drug to manage their condition.
This second medication, often called a second-line drug, plays a key role in helping patients stay healthy.
However, a new study from Northwestern Medicine has found that many people stop taking their second-line diabetes medications far too soon. This can lead to poor blood sugar control and can waste both time and money for patients and doctors.
The study, published in The American Journal of Managed Care, looked at data from over 82,000 patients between 2014 and 2017. The results were surprising: within one year of getting their prescription, nearly two-thirds of the patients had either stopped taking the medication, switched to another one, or increased their treatment.
In four out of five types of diabetes drugs studied, discontinuation rates were high. About 38% of patients simply stopped taking their medication. One class of drugs—called glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists, or GLP-1 RAs—had the highest dropout rate, with 50% of patients no longer taking the drug after one year.
David Liss, a research associate professor at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and the lead author of the study, said this is a real concern. When doctors prescribe a second-line drug for diabetes, about half of patients stop taking it within a year. That’s a major problem when trying to manage a lifelong condition like diabetes.
The study didn’t look into all the reasons why people stop taking their medicine, but Liss pointed out that GLP-1 RAs are known to cause side effects like nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. These gastrointestinal issues may lead people to stop their treatment early, even if the drug is helping control their blood sugar.
Interestingly, the researchers also found that the type of doctor prescribing the medication made a difference. When an endocrinologist—an expert in hormone-related diseases—prescribed the medication, patients were more likely to stick with it.
On the other hand, patients who got their prescriptions from family doctors or internal medicine doctors were more likely to stop or change their medication.
This study shows that better prescribing methods are needed. Doctors should take time to explain how medications work, what side effects might happen, and how to manage them. Patients also need to feel comfortable talking about any problems they’re having with their medication.
Even if stopping a diabetes drug doesn’t cause symptoms right away, it can lead to serious health issues later, like hospital visits. That’s why keeping an open line of communication between doctors and patients is so important.
These findings are a reminder of how important it is to support patients through their treatment journey. Helping people stick with their medication plans could lead to better long-term health outcomes.
If you care about diabetes, please read studies about This drug combo can treat type 2 diabetes in the long run effectively and findings of Eating fewer than 3 meals a day may help reduce risk of type 2 diabetes and obesity.
For more about diabetes, please read studies about How to choosing the right fruits for type 2 diabetes and findings of New higher dose diabetes drug promises better blood sugar control and weight loss.
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