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Dr. LeWinter discusses the treatments available for insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes.
Dr. LeWinter:
Women are no different than men in this regard. Most people with insulin resistance in type 2 diabetes, the most important things, and these are extremely effective, are the most basic and simple: diet and exercise. So it’s, I should say weight loss and exercise. Many, many people with insulin resistance in type 2 diabetes are overweight and sedentary.
Correcting both of those problems is extremely helpful, and you don’t have to go crazy with it. Even modest weight loss and modest exercise can have a very beneficial effect. So that’s always number one in general for treating this condition and for reducing the risk of problems in future. There’s no question about it; that’s been well shown in multiple studies.
For individuals who cannot normalize things with those measures, then, then certain drugs can be used. This is much better established for people with overt diabetes rather than the insulin, rather than insulin resistance. So for type 2 diabetes, several medications have been shown, oral medications have been shown to reduce the risk of complications down the line.
About Dr. LeWinter, M.D.:
Dr. Martin M. LeWinter, M.D., was Director of the Cardiology Unit at the University of Vermont College of Medicine for more than 15 years and is currently the Director of the Heart Failure Program. He is an Associate Editor for the journal Coronary Artery Disease and serves on the Editorial Board of several cardiology journals. He is currently Professor of Medicine at the University of Vermont.