Final answer:
Oral hypoglycemic drugs are designed to lower blood sugar levels by stimulating insulin production. Adverse reactions like hypoglycemia can occur, and factors like renal function and hormone resistance can impact blood glucose regulation. Pharmacogenetics is important for personalized treatment.
Step-by-step explanation:
An oral hypoglycemic drug is intended to lower blood sugar levels, not increase them. Medications like sulfonylureas, which include gliclazide, stimulate insulin secretion from the pancreas. Insulin allows cells to take up glucose from the blood, thereby reducing blood glucose levels. However, a patient may experience hypoglycemia as an adverse reaction if their blood sugar levels fall too low. Symptoms of hypoglycemia include hunger, sweating, shakiness, and weakness. In contrast, in conditions like type 2 diabetes, hormone resistance may occur where insulin is present, but cells are resistant to its effects, leading to hyperglycemia, or elevated blood sugar levels.
In case of renal dysfunction, glucose may not be reabsorbed efficiently by the kidney tubules leading to hypoglycemia, whereas total renal failure might lead to relative hyperglycemia. Additionally, excessive insulin antagonists such as glucagon, growth hormone, and others can result in poor response to insulin, contributing to high blood sugar levels. Pharmacogenetics play a role in how individuals respond to medications, emphasizing the importance of personalized medicine.