Last update:
19-Jun-2017

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is an established risk factor for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. The beneficial effect of improved glycemic control on cardiovascular complications has been well documented, but some clinical studies suggest that certain antidiabetic drugs may increase cardiovascular risk, despite being effective in lowering blood glucose levels in type 2 DM. For this reason, in order to be approved, new antidiabetic agents are required to demonstrate cardiovascular safety in large randomized, controlled trials. When choosing the appropriate treatment strategy for patients with type 2 DM who are at high cardiovascular risk, not only the glucose-lowering effects, but also the overall pleiotropic effects and cardiovascular safety of the drug should be taken into consideration.

Key words: Cardiovascular disease, Diabetes mellitus, Heart failure, Hypoglycemic agents.