[Process to insulin for type 2 diabetes mellitus therapy]

Abstract

In type 1 diabetes mellitus and in symptomatic and critical hyperglycemic states, insulin is a lifesaving drug; however, its value in long-term type 2 diabetes therapy, which represents more than 90% of diabetes, has not been assessed. This happens despite the fact that, in randomized studies on type 2 diabetes, insulin is used in two-thirds of cases when intensive hypoglycemic treatment is needed and in half of the patients when treatment is the standard one. This is a major issue from a clinical, economic and social-health organization point of view as insulin therapy is expensive and needs a complex organization. Observational and retrospective studies from the scientific literature show that in this type of diabetes insulin treatment is associated with increased cardiovascular and all-cause mortality. It is not clear whether this is due to a greater severity of the clinical picture, to the therapeutic target of blood glucose that may induce hypoglycemia, or to the intrinsic pharmacological activity of the drug that beyond reducing hyperglycemia can cause hypoglycemia, water retention, weight gain and hyperinsulinemia with proatherogenic effects. In particular, in patients with heart failure at high cardiovascular risk or with high insulin resistance, these clues are supported by meaningful data. Although there is no definitive evidence (the so-called "smoking gun") from randomized controlled trials, the high degree of suspicion induces the preferential choice of other drugs such as sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitors, glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists and metformin beyond avoiding glycemic targets that induce hypoglycemia, especially in frail, elderly patients, or patients with cardiovascular diseases. These drugs, for their proven efficacy and the easy use within an outpatient setting (that favors their prescription and improves the inertia of the doctor and the adherence of patients), could help a more effective treatment of patients, both for quality and life expectancy beyond mere glycemic control.