Article Text

Download PDFPDF
Three new drugs for type 2 diabetes
  • Relevant BNF section: 6.1.2.3

Abstract

For many patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, metformin plus appropriate treatment for cardiovascular risk factors form the cornerstone of drug therapy.1 However, the progressive impairment of both the secretion and action of insulin in the condition mean that high blood glucose concentrations usually worsen over time, so necessitating escalation of hypoglycaemic therapy.1 Three drugs in two new classes that act on the hormonal regulation of insulin secretion have been launched recently for use as add-in therapies in patients with type 2 diabetes: ▼exenatide (Byetta – Eli Lilly), ▼sitagliptin (Januvia – MSD), and ▼vildagliptin (Galvus – Novartis). Here we consider whether they have a role in the management of such individuals.

Statistics from Altmetric.com

Request Permissions

If you wish to reuse any or all of this article please use the link below which will take you to the Copyright Clearance Center’s RightsLink service. You will be able to get a quick price and instant permission to reuse the content in many different ways.

  • Relevant BNF section: 6.1.2.3

View Full Text

Footnotes