Tag Archives: rosiglitazone

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Introduction During the past 10 to 15 years, numerous drugs have been introduced for the treatment of patients with type 2 diabetes to prevent the complications of poor glycaemic control. Two such oral drugs, rosiglitazone and pioglitazone, belong to the class of drugs called thiazolidinediones (TZDs), also known as glitazones. Both were licensed for use as monotherapy or in combination with other hypoglycaemic drugs. Through their actions on peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPARγ), they improve hyperglycaemia and alter dyslipidaemia. It was hoped this would translate into cardiovascular benefits for patients taking them. Recent e

The struggle to meet targets GPs are struggling to meet these targets, with only 56–59% of patients achieving HbA1c <7.5% in at least 50% of patients in 2004/5, and 59–62% of patients in 2005/6.6 While metformin has an excellent safety and efficacy record, and continues to be standard first-line therapy for all patients who can tolerate it, UKPDS has shown us that for most patients, multiple hypoglycaemic agents are necessary. Sulphonylureas are also well tried and tested, and relatively cheap, but carry the risk of weight gain and hypoglycaemia, especially with longer-acting versions such as chlorpropamide and glibenclamide. In additi

The authors, from the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences, Toronto, Canada, note that most studies of CV outcomes associated with rosigllitzaone and rosiglitazone have been conducted in patients younger than 65 years. Diabetes is most common in older patients. They analysed information on 159,026 diabetes patients (mean age 74.7 years) being treated with an oral hypoglycaemic agent from Ontario healthcare databases. The risks of congestive heart failure, MI, and death were compared between persons treated with rosiglitazone or pioglitazone and those given other oral hypoglycaemic agent combinations, after matching and adjustment for pr