[Perspectives of inhaled insulin treatment]

Abstract

In the article some merits and some limitations of inhaled insulin (Exubera produced by Pfizer) in the treatment of adult patients with type 1 or 2 diabetes were presented. Up till now about 3500 volunteers usually in short-term study periods (6 months) were examined. Some patients were observed in the course of treatment even 4-7 years. Inhaled insulin was well tolerated by patients and they accepted with satisfaction this new form of drug. Main adverse events were a small decrease in the forced expiratory volume at 1 s (FEV1) and a small decline in carbon monoxide diffusion capacity with no clinical significance a well as a mild or moderate cough occurring temporally. Inhaled insulin is contraindicated in smokers and patients with bronchial asthma, bronchitis and pulmonary emphysema. Despite the approval of inhaled insulin for use in adult patients with type 1 or 2 diabetes in the United States and European Union in January 2006, Pfizer designed Real World Trial to estimate the costleffectiveness of this drug and the effect of the availability of Exubera as a treatment options for glycemic control.