Glycaemic management of type 2 diabetes

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a chronic complex condition associated with hyperglycaemia and long-term end organ damage. This long-term end organ damage due to exposure to hyperglycaemia leads to increased risk of cardiovascular disease and excess mortality. Apart from glycaemic management, it is essential to target various other contributors including weight, smoking, blood pressure and lipids effectively. Pharmacological and non-pharmacological management aimed to improve glycaemic control in patients with T2DM is an ever evolving and challenging field. Over last few years, interesting information has emerged from clinical research about targets and aim of anti-hyperglycaemic therapy. Various newer therapeutic agents are available as well as being developed to target completely new and different pathophysiological aspects of hyperglycaemia in T2DM. New information is gained about existing formulations and combinations. Some agents directly or indirectly aimed to help glycaemic control have been withdrawn due to safety, efficacy and financial concerns. In this brief review we take the opportunity to summarize this field and examine current aspects of glycaemic management of T2DM.