Table 3: Cardiovascular effects of anti-diabetic drugs

Abstract

Cardiovascular events represent the greatest complication of diabetes. Evidence suggests that metformin improves CV outcomes in patients with diabetes, especially in the United Kingdom Prospective Diabetes Study (UKPDS) and other subsequent studies, by different mechanisms. There are few cardiovascular safety studies for sulfonylureas although they would not have a safe profile at this level. Gliclazide appears to be the best performing drug in this group. Something similar occurs with meglitinides for which the data indicates that they would not increase the risk but neither would they improve the incidence of cardiovascular events. Thiazolidinediones are the most questioned drugs, although the studies and meta-analyzes are contradictory, there would be no doubt that they increase the risk of heart failure. DPPIV inhibitors showed neutral results except for saxagliptin, which would increase the risk of hospitalization for heart failure. There is convincing data that SGLT-2 receptor inhibitors at the renal level and intestinal GLP-1 analogues have positive effects at the cardiovascular level with some differences between the members of these families. Regarding insulins, studies suggest that both slow and fast analogues would have a better cardiovascular profile, mainly linked to the lower incidence of severe hypoglycemia, than NPH and regular insulin, respectively.

Keywords

• agentes antidiabéticos
• diabetes mellitus
• eventos cardiovasculares
• estudios de seguridad cardiovascular
• antidiabéticos orales
• insulina