Diabetes Medications: A Complete PTCB Study Guide

Insulin Types

Insulin is classified by onset and duration of action. Rapid-acting insulins include lispro (Humalog) and aspart (NovoLog), with onset in 15 minutes. Regular insulin (Humulin R) is short-acting with onset in 30 minutes. NPH is intermediate-acting, and glargine (Lantus) and detemir (Levemir) are long-acting basal insulins.

Insulin storage requirements are important: unopened vials are refrigerated, while in-use vials may be kept at room temperature for up to 28 days. These storage details are commonly tested.

Oral Antidiabetic Agents

Metformin (Glucophage) is the first-line oral medication for type 2 diabetes. It does not cause hypoglycemia when used alone. Sulfonylureas like glipizide (Glucotrol) and glimepiride (Amaryl) stimulate insulin secretion and can cause hypoglycemia.

Newer agents include SGLT2 inhibitors ending in "-gliflozin" (empagliflozin, dapagliflozin) and GLP-1 agonists ending in "-tide" (semaglutide, liraglutide).

Study Resources

Diabetes medications are heavily tested on the PTCB exam. Use our flashcards to memorize insulin types and oral agents, then take a mini exam for practice.