Type 2 Diabetes is a common health condition where an individual has difficulty controlling their blood sugar (glucose). Good control of blood sugar with appropriate life style and medication makes patients feel better and reduces the risk of long-term complications.
It is common for additional treatments to be added over time to maintain, or lower, blood sugar levels. The current NICE guidelines list a number of drugs without giving clear guidance on which patients should have which treatments. This makes it difficult for patients and their health care professionals to know which treatments are likely to suit them best.
We know that the response to different drugs can be variable and their effect may be different between and within individuals. However, very little is known about why this response is different or whether it would be possible to predict if a drug is likely to work for someone. If we could predict which treatment is likely to work for an individual, we could choose the most effective treatment, avoiding ineffective drugs and unnecessary side effects.
This study is looking at three standard diabetes treatments which can be added when one or two existing drugs stop maintaining good blood sugar levels. We will compare how patients with different blood sugar levels, weight and kidney function respond, and which treatment each patient prefers.