Endocrine Abstracts

The introduction of chemical and genetically modified short and long acting insulin molecules, as well as mixed insulin preparations, has provided novel tools to improve glycaemic regulation in patients with diabetes. Reaching the glycaemic target of an HbA1c below 7% represent a major challenge in many patients with type 2 diabetes. Different insulin preparations can be used in various different combinations with a variable number of daily injections as well as in different combinations with oral antidiabetic agents. In this lecture, some of the most important questions regarding insulin treatment with different insulin analogues in patients with type 2 diabetes will be addressed including: 1. When initiating bed time insulin treatment in patients with type 2 diabetes, what can be achieved using modern basal insulin analogues as compared with human NPH-insulin?, 2. Which treatment regimen is best when initiating insulin treatment in patients with type 2 diabetes using human insulin or insulin analogues: Bed time basal, biphasic or prandial only insulins?, 3. Do multiple injections with human insulin or insulin analogues improve control in patients with type 2 diabetes on biphasic insulins who have not reached target?, and finally 4. Should insulin treatment in obese and non-obese patients with Type 2 diabetes be combined with metformin, insulin secretagogues or both? In addition, the lecture will address the future of insulin analogues in the treatment of type 2 diabetes.