2018 standards of care update: Pharmacologic approaches to glycemic management in people with type 2 diabetes

Each year, the American Diabetes Association updates its Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes to inform clinicians on components of diabetes care, general treatment goals and guidelines, and tools to evaluate quality of care. In the 2018 Standards, recommendations related to the use of antihyperglycemic therapy in adults with type 2 diabetes were updated in consideration of new evidence published since the last iteration in 2017. This brief review summarizes key recommendations from the 2018 Standards related to the pharmacologic management of people with type 2 diabetes. In so doing, it additionally highlights drug- and patient-specific factors to consider when intensifying antihyperglycemic therapy.