DRUG INDUCED DIABETES

Several Epidemiological studies have suggested that rate of development of diabetes mellitus consequent to taking diverse types of medication is increasing now a days. Several medications have been found to be associated with causation of diabetes. Various pharmacological medications which are commonly used in clinical practice are found to affect glucose homeostasis and interfere with the balance between various hormones like insulin, glucagon, catecholamines, growth hormone, and cortisol. Mechanism for the diabetes caused due to medications is associated with a reduction in insulin production, some with reduction in insulin sensitivity, and some appear to be associated with reduction in insulin production along with the insulin sensitivity. It is very difficult to establish a precise cause and effect relationship between a medication and development of diabetes. Various clinical studies of medications typically concentrate on evaluation of effectiveness and are not powered to evaluate side effects. Several covariant such as the weight gain associated with medication such as steroids or antipsychotics also make it difficult to find that whether the development of diabetes was a primary or secondary effect of the medication. Mechanisms for the causations of diabetes have been linked with range from decreased insulin secretion to decreased insulin action to direct neural effects. Stopping or switching medication is considered as the first step in treating the drug induced diabetes. While the information to support many of the consensus recommendations for treatment drug -induced diabetes is lacking. To establish the optimal therapy for Drug induced diabetes, it is quite essential to understand the potential mechanism which interrupts the metabolism of carbohydrates. Keywords: Diabetes, insulin sensitivity, glucose homeostasis, medication-induced diabetes, optimal therapy.