Trends in add-on medications following metformin monotherapy for type 2 diabetes. 2022

Elizabeth Cs Swart, and Lynn M Neilson, and Kiraat D Munshi, and Samuel K Peasah, and Rochelle Henderson, and Chester B Good
Centers for High-Value Health Care and Value-Based Pharmacy Initiatives, UPMC Health Plan, Pittsburgh, PA.

BACKGROUND: Although metformin is generally universally recommended as a first-line pharmacologic therapy for most people living with type 2 diabetes, second-line and third-line choices can require a tailored approach to achieve optimal blood glucose and glycated hemoglobin levels. OBJECTIVE: To examine national trends in second- and third-line antihyperglycemic medications following metformin monotherapy, comparing 2015 and 2019. METHODS: This retrospective cohort analysis of deidentified pharmacy claims from a large national pharmacy benefits manager from January 1, 2015, to December 31, 2015, and again in January 1, 2019, to December 31, 2019, included adults (aged ≥ 18 years) continuously enrolled in commercial or Medicare insurance plans who filled an index metformin prescription in either year. Proportions of patients by second-line and third-line antihyperglycemic class were calculated. RESULTS: Second-line use of sulfonylureas (-10.1%; P < 0.001), combination drugs (-3.0%; P < 0.001), and dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors (-2.0%; P = 0.031) significantly declined, whereas second-line use of sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2is) (+4.9%; P < 0.001) and glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1Ras) (+10.0%; P < 0.001) significantly increased. Similarly, third-line use of sulfonylureas declined (-5.5%; P = 0.005), whereas third-line use of SGLT2is (+3.4%; P = 0.005) and GLP-1RAs (+8.3%; P < 0.001) increased. Similar trends between 2015 and 2019 were found in commercial and Medicare subgroups. Among all groups in 2015 compared with 2019, sulfonylureas were the most prescribed second-line class and insulins the most common third-line class. Although SGLT2i and GLP-1RA together represented more than one-third of second-line and third-line prescriptions for commercially insured patients in 2019 (34.3% and 35.0%, respectively), these classes were less frequently prescribed in the Medicare subgroup (18% and 25.6%, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: This report provides updated second-line and third-line antihyperglycemic medication prescribing trends in the United States, which suggests that evidence-based guidelines are being used in practice to prevent complications and individualize diabetes care. DISCLOSURES: Ms Swart and Drs Peasah and Good are employed by UPMC Health Plan. Dr Neilson was employed by UPMC Health Plan at the time of the study. Drs Munshi and Henderson were employed by Evernorth at the time of the study.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007004 Hypoglycemic Agents Substances which lower blood glucose levels. Antidiabetic,Antidiabetic Agent,Antidiabetic Drug,Antidiabetics,Antihyperglycemic,Antihyperglycemic Agent,Hypoglycemic,Hypoglycemic Agent,Hypoglycemic Drug,Antidiabetic Agents,Antidiabetic Drugs,Antihyperglycemic Agents,Antihyperglycemics,Hypoglycemic Drugs,Hypoglycemic Effect,Hypoglycemic Effects,Hypoglycemics,Agent, Antidiabetic,Agent, Antihyperglycemic,Agent, Hypoglycemic,Agents, Antidiabetic,Agents, Antihyperglycemic,Agents, Hypoglycemic,Drug, Antidiabetic,Drug, Hypoglycemic,Drugs, Antidiabetic,Drugs, Hypoglycemic,Effect, Hypoglycemic,Effects, Hypoglycemic
D008687 Metformin A biguanide hypoglycemic agent used in the treatment of non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus not responding to dietary modification. Metformin improves glycemic control by improving insulin sensitivity and decreasing intestinal absorption of glucose. (From Martindale, The Extra Pharmacopoeia, 30th ed, p289) Dimethylguanylguanidine,Dimethylbiguanidine,Glucophage,Metformin HCl,Metformin Hydrochloride,HCl, Metformin,Hydrochloride, Metformin
D001786 Blood Glucose Glucose in blood. Blood Sugar,Glucose, Blood,Sugar, Blood
D003924 Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 A subclass of DIABETES MELLITUS that is not INSULIN-responsive or dependent (NIDDM). It is characterized initially by INSULIN RESISTANCE and HYPERINSULINEMIA; and eventually by GLUCOSE INTOLERANCE; HYPERGLYCEMIA; and overt diabetes. Type II diabetes mellitus is no longer considered a disease exclusively found in adults. Patients seldom develop KETOSIS but often exhibit OBESITY. Diabetes Mellitus, Adult-Onset,Diabetes Mellitus, Ketosis-Resistant,Diabetes Mellitus, Maturity-Onset,Diabetes Mellitus, Non-Insulin-Dependent,Diabetes Mellitus, Slow-Onset,Diabetes Mellitus, Stable,MODY,Maturity-Onset Diabetes Mellitus,NIDDM,Diabetes Mellitus, Non Insulin Dependent,Diabetes Mellitus, Noninsulin Dependent,Diabetes Mellitus, Noninsulin-Dependent,Diabetes Mellitus, Type II,Maturity-Onset Diabetes,Noninsulin-Dependent Diabetes Mellitus,Type 2 Diabetes,Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus,Adult-Onset Diabetes Mellitus,Diabetes Mellitus, Adult Onset,Diabetes Mellitus, Ketosis Resistant,Diabetes Mellitus, Maturity Onset,Diabetes Mellitus, Slow Onset,Diabetes, Maturity-Onset,Diabetes, Type 2,Ketosis-Resistant Diabetes Mellitus,Maturity Onset Diabetes,Maturity Onset Diabetes Mellitus,Non-Insulin-Dependent Diabetes Mellitus,Noninsulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus,Slow-Onset Diabetes Mellitus,Stable Diabetes Mellitus
D004152 Dipeptidyl-Peptidases and Tripeptidyl-Peptidases A subclass of exopeptidases that includes enzymes which cleave either two or three AMINO ACIDS from the end of a peptide chain. Dipeptidyl Peptidase,Dipeptidyl Peptidases,Dipeptidylpeptide Hydrolase,Tripeptidyl-Peptidase,Dipeptidylpeptide Hydrolases,Tripeptidyl-Peptidases,Dipeptidyl Peptidases and Tripeptidyl Peptidases,Hydrolase, Dipeptidylpeptide,Peptidase, Dipeptidyl,Tripeptidyl Peptidase,Tripeptidyl Peptidases,Tripeptidyl-Peptidases and Dipeptidyl-Peptidases
D006278 Medicare Federal program, created by Public Law 89-97, Title XVIII-Health Insurance for the Aged, a 1965 amendment to the Social Security Act, that provides health insurance benefits to persons over the age of 65 and others eligible for Social Security benefits. It consists of two separate but coordinated programs: hospital insurance (MEDICARE PART A) and supplementary medical insurance (MEDICARE PART B). (Hospital Administration Terminology, AHA, 2d ed and A Discursive Dictionary of Health Care, US House of Representatives, 1976) Health Insurance for Aged and Disabled, Title 18,Insurance, Health, for Aged and Disabled,Health Insurance for Aged, Disabled, Title 18,Health Insurance for Aged, Title 18
D006442 Glycated Hemoglobin Products of non-enzymatic reactions between GLUCOSE and HEMOGLOBIN (occurring as a minor fraction of the hemoglobin of ERYTHROCYTES.) It generally refers to glycated HEMOGLOBIN A. Hemoglobin A1c (Hb A1c) is hemoglobin A with GLYCATION on a terminal VALINE of the beta chain. Glycated hemoglobin A is used as an index of the average blood sugar level over a lifetime of erythrocytes. Fructated Hemoglobins,Glycohemoglobin,Glycohemoglobin A,Glycohemoglobins,Glycosylated Hemoglobin A,Hb A1c,HbA1,Hemoglobin A(1),Hemoglobin A, Glycosylated,Glycated Hemoglobin A,Glycated Hemoglobin A1c,Glycated Hemoglobins,Glycosylated Hemoglobin A1c,Hb A1,Hb A1a+b,Hb A1a-1,Hb A1a-2,Hb A1b,Hemoglobin, Glycated A1a-2,Hemoglobin, Glycated A1b,Hemoglobin, Glycosylated,Hemoglobin, Glycosylated A1a-1,Hemoglobin, Glycosylated A1b,A1a-1 Hemoglobin, Glycosylated,A1a-2 Hemoglobin, Glycated,A1b Hemoglobin, Glycated,A1b Hemoglobin, Glycosylated,Glycated A1a-2 Hemoglobin,Glycated A1b Hemoglobin,Glycosylated A1a-1 Hemoglobin,Glycosylated A1b Hemoglobin,Glycosylated Hemoglobin,Hemoglobin A, Glycated,Hemoglobin A1c, Glycated,Hemoglobin A1c, Glycosylated,Hemoglobin, Glycated,Hemoglobin, Glycated A1a 2,Hemoglobin, Glycosylated A1a 1,Hemoglobins, Fructated,Hemoglobins, Glycated
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000067757 Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor A receptor for GLUCAGON-LIKE PEPTIDE 1 (GLP-1) expressed primarily on the surface of beta and ductal exocrine cells of the pancreas, as well as cells of other tissues. GLP-1 acts through GLP-1R to potentiate signaling in pancreatic cells in response to glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS). GLP-1 Receptor,GLP-1R Receptor,GLP1R Protein,GLP1R Receptor,GLP 1 Receptor,GLP 1R Receptor,Glucagon Like Peptide 1 Receptor,Peptide-1 Receptor, Glucagon-Like,Protein, GLP1R,Receptor, GLP-1,Receptor, GLP-1R,Receptor, GLP1R,Receptor, Glucagon-Like Peptide-1
D000328 Adult A person having attained full growth or maturity. Adults are of 19 through 44 years of age. For a person between 19 and 24 years of age, YOUNG ADULT is available. Adults

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