WelChol Uses

WelChol Uses for Diabetes

Although WelChol was first approved as a cholesterol medication, it was discovered that the drug also works to lower blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes.

 

Type 2 diabetes is the most common type of diabetes (see Diabetes Types). It is also sometimes called adult-onset diabetes or non-insulin-dependent diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is a condition involving insulin resistance. With insulin resistance, the cells do not respond to insulin as well as they should. As a result, the cells do not take sugar out of the blood very well. This is why people with type 2 have high blood sugar.

 

Over time, high blood sugar can lead to a number of problems, including diabetic impotence, diabetic neuropathy, kidney failure, and heart disease (see Diabetes Complications). The cause of type 2 diabetes is not fully understood, although it is known that obesity and genetics play important roles.

 

WelChol is used to help control blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes who cannot lower blood sugar through lifestyle changes alone (weight loss, diet, and exercise). The drug has been shown to lower both fasting blood glucose and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) in people already taking certain other diabetes medications, including metformin, sulfonylureas, and insulin. It has not been studied for use on its own.