Safety and efficacy of sulfonylurea drugs in type 2 diabetes mellitus

IntroductionIn subjects with type 2 diabetes mellitus, glycemic control will be established while patients use sulfonylurea drugs during the course of the disease.Material-methodsTwo groups of 100 diabetic patients, and 24 healthy controls were recruited. The study was conducted to characterize the new sulfonylurea glimepiride and to compare its profile of action with the second generation sulfonylurea glipizide. Blood samples were collected at fasting, 0 h, 2 h, 4 h and 6 h, after a standard mixed meal was given. Glycosylated hemoglobin, weight gain and blood sugar levels were measured.ResultsPre-prandially (0–3 h) blood glucose levels were significantly lower (p < 0.0001) after the administration of glimepiride (3.7 +/− 0.24 and 3.5 +/− 0.3 mM respectively) compared to placebo (4.63 +/− 0.31 mM), and also compared to glipizide. Post-prandially (3–5 h) blood glucose was significantly higher after glipizide (6.54 +/− 0.8 mM) (p < 0.0001) than after 2 mg glimepiride (5.75 +/− 0.5 mM).Discussion and conclusionIt was shown that the decrease in HbA1c value was from 8.0 to 6.9%. The lowering of blood glucose levels in fasting and post-prandial period were shown better results with glimepiride than glipizide. In a study, it was shown that there was significant improvement in the levels of glycosylated hemoglobin and also FBS and PPBS at 6 and 12 months with glimepiride and glipizide. Glimepiride was associated with lower risk of hypoglycemic attacks, less weight gain and better glycemic control than glipizide. Glimepiride has lower risk of gaining weight than other sulfonylureas.