Effect of drugs on carbohydrate metabolism.

Many drugs affect carbohydrate metabolism in man. For some this is the action that is sought and the reason for their inclusion in the pharmacopoeia; for others it is an epiphenomenon or undesirable side-effect which may or may not be predictable. Broadly speaking, drugs that affect carbohydrate metabolism can be divided (Table I) into those that tend: (a) to raise the fasting blood glucose concentration and reduce glucose tolerance, or (b) to lower the fasting blood glucose concentration, generally with little or no 'improvement' of glucose tolerance and, paradoxically, often the reverse. Occasionally, as in the instances of nicotinic acid and alcohol, the amount and the circumstances under which the drug is administered determine whether it produces a rise, a fall or no change in blood glucose concentration.