[The extra-glycemic effects of liraglutide: focus on cardiometabolic markers]

Abstract

The purpose of innovative therapeutic approaches for type 2 diabetes mellitus is to customize the antidiabetic treatment to each patient's need, in order to intensify glucose-lowering effects without hypoglycemia, reduce adverse events, and prevent cardiovascular events. Glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) analogues are effective drugs in the treatment of type 2 diabetes, and they also seem to have beneficial effects on several risk factors for cardiovascular disease, leading to cardiovascular risk reduction independent of hypoglycemic effects. Among these new drugs, liraglutide, a GLP-1 analogue with a homology of 97% to native GLP-1, exerts an effect on body weight, lipid parameters, blood pressure and endothelial function, inflammatory markers, markers of oxidative stress, and subclinical atherosclerosis. The results of numerous studies and meta-analyses on liraglutide suggest that this drug improves quality of life through the reduction in hypoglycemic episodes, glucose effectiveness, and the improvement of cardiovascular risk factors.