Oral hypoglycaemic agents, insulin resistance and cardiovascular disease in patients with type 2 diabetes

Abstract

This article is a narrative review of the current evidence of the effects on cardiovascular disease (CVD) of oral hypoglycaemic agents that increase insulin sensitivity in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D). In overweight T2D patients, metformin has been demonstrated to reduce CVD risk, and this beneficial effect may be conserved with the combination of metformin and insulin treatment. However, the effect of glitazones on CVD is uncertain. There is conflicting evidence from large randomized trials to support a protective effect against CVD of lowering blood glucose per se but a systematic review with meta-analysis is lacking. It may be reasonable to aim for an intervention targeting multiple CVD risk factors such as dyslipidaemia, hypertension and albuminuria in T2D patients.