Deprescribing diabetes medications can be feasible and safe when lifestyle medicine is integrated into primary care

MedicalXpress | mars 31, 2026

A new research study provides real-world evidence that deprescribing glucose-lowering medications is both feasible and safe when patients with type 2 diabetes receive lifestyle-informed care in primary care settings. The retrospective chart review, published in the Journal of Clinical Medicine, examined electronic health records from 650 adults with type 2 diabetes receiving care at two primary care practices that integrate lifestyle medicine principles into routine visits. Using a structured deprescribing framework, researchers identified 41 confirmed cases—approximately 6.3% of patients—in which diabetes medications were safely reduced or discontinued following documented improvements in weight and blood glucose.