Discussion on Diabetes/Endocrine

Often we see a great deal of misinformation in the care of patients with diabetes, and often this misinformation is centered around the role and choice of medications. Many patients, especially newly diagnosed patients, are prescribed medications that do not fit into the scheme of the ADA / AACE guidelines / best evidence based practices - for instance, starting on Januvia (sitagliptin) or Jardiance (empagliflozin) or Byetta (exenatide) as initial monotherapy without a compelling indication or reason.
In this discussion, please talk about how patients get put on these medications and why/how they should be transitioned to more evidence based treatments.
Is it okay to start a patient on a drug (particularly an oral drug) other than metformin as an initial drug? Please cite possible circumstances where this could be reasonable.
What anti-diabetic medications have compelling evidence for use in select populations, possibly as initial therapy, and is this benefit a "class" effect?
(eg. SGLT2Is - Patients with type 2 diabetes and a high risk of cardiovascular disease had reduced risk of a cardiovascular death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, or nonfatal stroke relative to those randomized to receive placebo)
What additional medications, other than those for glucose control, should be included in a comprehensive pharmacotherapeutic plan and why? [See textbook secions on Treatment of Concomitant Conditions]
Now let’s consider the following case about thyroid disorders. A 69-year-old man goes to his family doctor because he has been feeling fatigued and lethargic. His doctor does a complete evaluation. This patient had a myocardial infarction and has a recurrent ventricular arrhythmia (treated with amiodarone). The patient’s TSH is elevated and his T4 is slightly decreased.
Please provide an evaluation of this patient’s condition, approach to therapy and factors you have taken into consideration
Post your initial response by Wednesday at midnight. Respond to one student by Sunday at midnight. Both responses should be a minimum of 150 words, scholarly written, APA formatted, and referenced. A minimum of 2 references are required