Use of insulin and oral hypoglycemic medications in patients with diabetes mellitus and advanced kidney disease.

Diabetes mellitus is recognized as a leading cause of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and end-stage renal disease (ESRD) in the United States. There is a vast array of medications used to treat diabetes, including insulin and the sulfonylureas, as well as newer classes of drugs such as the thiazolidinediones and biguanides. In patients with reduced glomerular filtration rate (GFR), it is necessary to decrease the dosage of some of these drugs, while others are best avoided altogether. Accumulation of either the parent compound or its metabolites can result in symptomatic hypoglycemia, or in the case of metformin, significant lactic acidosis. In this article we will review the use of insulin and the various classes of oral medications used to treat type 2 diabetes mellitus, focusing on their pharmacokinetic properties and dosing in patients with advanced kidney disease.