Review Question - QID 109634

A 57-year-old man with a history of hypertension, hyperlipidemia, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and obstructive sleep apnea presents to your office for routine screening. He reports compliance with his medications but admits to difficulty maintaining the diet and exercise routines discussed during his last visit. He does not have any other complaints. He drinks 3-4 beers on the weekends and does not smoke cigarettes. His current medications include metformin, atorvastatin, and hydrochlorothiazide. On physical examination, his temperature is 99°F (37.2°C), blood pressure is 130/85 mmHg, pulse is 85/min, and respirations are 18/min. Laboratory results are shown below:

Serum:
Na+: 138 mEq/L
Cl-: 100 mEq/L
K+: 3.9 mEq/L
HCO3-: 23 mEq/L
BUN: 13 mg/dL
Glucose: 160 mg/dL

You decide to start the patient on a medication that triggers insulin release. What is the mechanism of action of this drug?