Anti-Diabetics

Antidiabetic Meds (Glipizide, Repaglinide, Metformin, Pioglitazone, Acarbose, Sitagliptin, Lispro, Regular, NPH, Glargine, Pramlintide, Exenatide, Glucagon)

Welcome to the Endocrine System’s command center—where glucose is fuel, insulin is the key, and one missed step can flip the body from stable to crisis.

In this volume, Lucy and the team enter the “Pancreas District” and the bloodstream’s energy highways to stop hyperglycemia surges, prevent hypoglycemic crashes, and rebuild the logic behind every major diabetes med—so you can reason through questions instead of memorizing random drug lists.

What this book covers (in story form):

Insulin Secretagogues (make the pancreas release insulin)

• Glipizide (Glucotrol) — pushes beta cells to release insulin; why hypoglycemia is the big threat and how timing with meals matters.

• Repaglinide (Prandin) — quick, meal-time insulin release control; how it targets post-meal spikes and what happens if a meal gets skipped.

Insulin Sensitizers (make cells respond better to insulin)

• Metformin (Glucophage) — lowers liver glucose output + improves sensitivity; why it’s first-line, and what to watch for with kidneys and contrast studies.

• Pioglitazone (Actos) — improves insulin sensitivity in tissues; the “fluid warning” story nurses must remember (and who it’s risky for).

Carb Absorption/Breakdown Blockers (slow glucose entry)

• Acarbose (Precose) — blocks carb digestion in the gut; why it hits post-meal glucose and the common GI side effects patients complain about.

Incretin Pathway Helpers (boost meal-time insulin, reduce glucagon)

• Sitagliptin (Januvia) — extends incretin effects; what it does after meals and what monitoring/teaching shows up in clinical practice.

• Exenatide (Byetta) — incretin mimicker that slows gastric emptying and supports glucose control; what patients feel, and why timing/education matters.

• Pramlintide (Symlin) — amylin analog that slows gastric emptying and blunts post-meal spikes; how to pair it safely with insulin.

Insulin Types (the “timing lineup” you must master)

• Lispro (Humalog) — rapid-acting “meal coverage”: fast in, fast out—high hypoglycemia risk if food isn’t ready.

• Regular Insulin (Humulin R) — short-acting workhorse; when it’s used and how its onset/peak changes nursing planning.

• NPH (Humulin N) — intermediate “midday peak”: the sneaky hypoglycemia risk hours after dosing.

• Insulin Glargine (Lantus) — long-acting “baseline shield”: steady coverage with minimal peak—built for consistency.

Rescue / Emergency Reversal

• Glucagon (GlucaGen) — the emergency counterattack for severe hypoglycemia; when to use it, what to expect after, and why follow-up carbs matter.

You’ll learn through:

• A simple “Glucose Control Map” (liver → pancreas → gut → cells) so every drug has a place and a reason

• Panel-based timing visuals for insulins (onset/peak/duration) that make dosing questions easier

• Symptom-to-patho links (why patients shake, sweat, crash, or dehydrate)

• Nursing priorities

  • hypoglycemia recognition + immediate actions

  • meal coordination + blood glucose monitoring strategy

  • patient teaching that prevents errors at home (timing, storage, sick-day basics)

  • high-risk situations (renal impairment, missed meals, polypharmacy)

• NCLEX-style checkpoint moments embedded in the story for rapid recall