Table 1.
Medication profiles shown to patients
| DPP-4i profile (sitagliptin) | GLP-1RA profile (liraglutide) | |
|---|---|---|
| How do you take the medication? | Tablet, once a day | Injection, once a day |
| How effective is the medication? |
Results can vary from person to person but, generally, it should lower your long-term blood sugar level (HbA1c) by between 0.5% and 1% About 15% of people treated with this medication have achieved a long-term blood sugar level of less than 7% (53 mmol/mol) without any weight gain or hypoglycemia (blood sugar levels going much too low) |
Results can vary from person to person but, generally, it should lower your long-term blood sugar level (HbA1c) by between 1% and 1.5% Between 30% and 40% of people treated with this medication have achieved a long-term blood sugar level of less than 7% (53 mmol/mol) without any weight gain or hypoglycemia (blood sugar level going much too low) |
| Side effects | This medication has a low risk of hypoglycemia (blood sugar levels going much too low) unless you are also taking a sulfonylurea (for example gliclazide), where there might be a higher risk of you experiencing hypoglycemia |
This medication has a low risk of hypoglycemia (blood sugar levels going much too low) unless you are also taking a sulfonylurea (for example gliclazide), where there might be a higher risk of you experiencing hypoglycemia About 10–20% of patients who take this medication may have feelings of sickness and about 5–7% may actually be sick About 8–15% of patients taking this medication may suffer from diarrhea. These side-effects normally go away after about 1 month (individual results may vary) |
| Other effects | This medication has no effects on weight or blood pressure, and people who have been given this medication say that they are now more satisfied with their treatment | This medication may lead to a weight loss of about 7.5 lb, as well as a small reduction in blood pressure. People who have been given this medication say that they are now more satisfied with their treatment |
Patients were shown the two medication profiles and given the following instructions: “At the moment, your blood sugar levels are still too high and we will need to give you an additional treatment to take with your current medication to help lower your blood sugar levels. Written below are the descriptions of two different medicines that are often given to people in your situation, with type 2 diabetes, to help lower their blood sugar levels (note: neither one is insulin). Based on the descriptions below, please tick which one you would prefer to take in addition to your current treatments. You are free to change your mind, stop the treatment at any time, or have additional treatments if needed or advised by your doctor.”
DPP-4i dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitor, GLP-1RA glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist, HbA 1c glycated hemoglobin