[Challenge in diabetes therapy: effects of glitazones beyond blood glucose control].

Abstract

Not just since the results of ACCORD, ADVANCE and VADT were published, it is clear that lowering blood glucose alone does not reduce the cardiovascular risk of patients with type 2 diabetes. In fact, many studies also indicate that some treatment strategies may even have adverse effects. To treat type 2 diabetes appropriately, the co-morbidities such as diabetic dyslipidaemia, hypertension or nephropathy must also be taken into account. Thiazolidinediones reduce insulin resistance thus allowing to direct the treatment of type 2 diabetes towards its pathophysiologic origin. Due to their mechanism of action, thiazolidinediones not only lower blood glucose but have also beneficial effects on inflammatory and atherogenic parameters, blood pressure and microalbuminuria. Furthermore pioglitazone improves dyslipidaemia and reduces mortality, myocardial infarction and stroke in high risk patients. Effects of rosiglitazone on the cardiovascular risk are yet unclear. Numerous studies document the efficacy and safety of thiazolidinediones and provide a basis for an evidence-based therapeutic approach beyond blood glucose control.

• Authors: G Schernthaner, T Forst, D Gulba, W Haberbosch, M Hanefeld, G Linss, W März, H Mehnert, C Rosak, O Schnell, J Seufert, D Tschöpe, E Erdmann
• Journal: Deutsche medizinische Wochenschrift (1946) (Dtsch Med Wochenschr) Vol. 134 Issue 18 Pg. 949-54 (Apr 2009) ISSN: 1439-4413 [Electronic] Germany
• Vernacular Title: Herausforderung Diabetestherapie: Effekte der Glitazone jenseits der Blutzuckerkontrolle.
• PMID: 19384816 (Publication Type: English Abstract, Journal Article, Review)

Chemical References

• Blood Glucose
• Thiazolidinediones

Topics

• Albuminuria (drug therapy)
• Atherosclerosis (drug therapy)
• Blood Glucose (drug effects)
• Blood Pressure (drug effects)
• Coronary Restenosis (prevention & control)
• Diabetes Complications (drug therapy, prevention & control)
• Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 (blood, drug therapy, physiopathology)
• Dyslipidemias (drug therapy)
• Edema (chemically induced)
• Evidence-Based Medicine
• Fractures, Bone (chemically induced)
• Humans
• Inflammation (drug therapy)
• Insulin Resistance (physiology)
• Myocardial Infarction (prevention & control)
• Renal Insufficiency (prevention & control)
• Stroke (prevention & control)
• Thiazolidinediones (adverse effects, pharmacology, therapeutic use)