Incretin therapies for type 2 diabetes: what nurses need to know

There are many patients with type 2 diabetes in the UK, and controlling blood glucose levels in these patients can be challenging. In this article, the use of incretin-based therapies (such as glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists and dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors) in the management of type 2 diabetes is reviewed. The clinical utility and role of such therapies in the management of type 2 diabetes are discussed, and a direct comparison of the various incretin-based therapies is provided. The role of the specialist nurse in the use of incretin-based therapies is described. Overall, the use of incretin-based therapies as add-on therapy to conventional treatments improves glycaemic control in selected patients with type 2 diabetes and is generally well tolerated.