Diabetes belongs to the metabolic diseases characterized by hyperglycaemia and impaired insulin production and/or action. Chronic hyperglycemia can lead to dysfunction or failure of many organs. Due to the etiology and course of the disease, it can be divided into type 1, type 2, gestational diabetes and other, less common varieties. The most common form of diabetes is type 2 manifested by insulin resistance. Type 1 diabetes is characterized by impaired insulin secretion. Each type of diabetes has different mechanism of disease development as well as different levels of glycemia. Diabetes is an incurable disease, but strict control of glycemia reduces the associated symptoms. Pharmacological treatment of type 1 diabetes is based on insulin administration, while type 2 diabetes by oral antidiabetic agents and recommendation of changes in lifestyle. The article presents the basic goals and models of pharmacotherapy of type 1 and type 2 diabetes used in modern medicine.

Key words: diabetes, insulin, antidiabetic drugs, hyperglycemia.