There are a number of new tablet and injectable medications now available to us in New Zealand, for management of diabetes.
Some of these medications need to be discontinued in advance of coming for surgery under general anaesthetic, and it is important to follow the advice from the hospital preassessment team and anaesthetist.
In general:
Empagliflozin and other _flozins (Jardiance, Jardiamet) should be stopped 3 days prior to surgery;
Continue other tablet diabetes medications up to the day of surgery, but do not take on the day of surgery. These include:
vildagliptin
vildagliptin/metformin
dulaglutide
metformin
gliclazide, glipizide
Insulins are somewhat more complicated and how to manage these around the time of surgery should be discussed in detail with the anaesthetist prior to surgery.