In the treatment of diabetes, it is very important to select glucose-lowering drugs in a targeted manner. Doctors are very particular about individualization when choosing medications, which means that they have to fully consider which medications are most appropriate for the patient, which doses are most appropriate, and which medications work best together, which means that they have to fully consider what is “different” about the patient and choose the type, dose, and dosage form of the medication wisely. So what should I know as a diabetic patient? The first thing to know is whether you have type 1 diabetes or type 2 diabetes. This is a very important question, and it is directly related to the choice of treatment plan. Of course the vast majority of patients in clinical practice today are type 2 diabetics. Secondly, it is important to know how your islet function is. Through the islet function examination, we can understand the insulin secretion and the presence of insulin resistance. If the insulin secretion function is obviously weakened, you should follow the doctor’s advice and use insulin treatment; if the insulin secretion function is still good, you can use drugs that promote insulin secretion; if there is insulin resistance, you can use insulin sensitizers, such as rosiglitazone and pioglitazone, such drugs can enhance insulin sensitivity from various angles to achieve the effect of lowering blood sugar. The most important thing is to consider the blood sugar level. Fasting blood glucose and postprandial blood glucose are different, and so are the options for drug selection. When blood glucose level is high, quick-acting and strong-acting drugs are often used, such as glipizide regular-release tablets, which are short and fast-acting, or glibenclamide, which is strong and long-lasting. When postprandial blood glucose is high, often combined with acarbose, because this drug causes starch, sucrose, maltose, glucose and carbohydrate decomposition, absorption significantly reduced and reduce the postprandial blood glucose level of patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Age should be considered, especially in older people. Compared with young people, the prominent changes in the elderly are the gradual decline of various physiological functions and the diminished tolerance to drugs, which determines the emphasis on the use of drugs with mild medicinal properties, starting with small doses, using fewer drugs, reducing the type and number of combined drugs, and gradually reaching the most suitable dose for individuals. For example, gliquidone is a short-acting pro-secretory agent, which is relatively mild in nature and most of its metabolites are excreted from the feces via the biliary system, and its metabolites do not have hypoglycemic effects. Another example is that metformin is not suitable for elderly people over 70 years old, nor is it suitable for long-acting pro-secretory agents such as euglycemia. Also consider the weight level. Diabetic friends have many obese patients. Metformin acts as an anti-hyperglycemic agent by inhibiting intestinal absorption of glucose and increasing the utilization of glucose by peripheral tissues. Therefore it can be used for those who are not satisfied by diet and exercise, and obese type 2 diabetic patients are especially suitable. Patients who need to lose weight can be listed as the drug of choice. In addition, it is important to consider what other conditions the patient has. For example, what is the blood pressure level? How is the heart functioning? How is the liver and kidney function? What are the blood lipid levels? What are the complications? And so on. Of course, sometimes there are also financial issues to consider. Therefore, more knowledge about glucose-lowering drugs can make diabetic patients more aware of their own medication characteristics and increase their confidence in treating the disease. The best choice for diabetic patients is to use the medication under the guidance of a physician, never mind what other people use, what suits you is good.