Because diabetes damages blood vessels throughout the body and so can cause many different complications, people with diabetes may need to take medications to treat or prevent the complications as well as the diabetes. Medications might include:

• ACE inhibitors and ARBs (eg, captopril, enalapril). Used to treat people with high blood pressure and those with early signs of kidney disease

• Statins. Prescribed for people with abnormal cholesterol levels

• Aspirin. Used to help prevent heart attack and stroke

If dieting alone doesn’t achieve weight loss goals, then weight-loss medications such as orlistat and sibutramine may prove effective. Sibutramine shouldn’t be used by people with high blood pressure or kidney or liver problems.