Incretin-based drugs and hospitalization for heart failure in the clinical practice: A nested case-control study

Incretin-based drugs are a relatively new class of medications for the treatment of type 2 diabetes, based upon the glucose-lowering actions of the gastrointestinal incretin hormones (e.g., the Glucagon-Like Peptide-1, GLP-1) [1]. They act either inhibiting the enzyme Dipeptidyl Peptidase-4 (DPP-4) that degrades the endogenous GLP-1 – as the DPP-4 inhibitors sitagliptin, saxagliptin, alogliptin – or mimicking the effects of GLP-1 – as the GLP-1 receptor agonists exenatide and liraglutide [2,3]. These drugs have been approved as an alternative or additional treatment in patients with inadequate diabetes control with other oral antidiabetic medications given their good tolerability profile, low risk of hypoglycaemia, no increase in body weight, a favourable role on cardiovascular risk factors, and limited (gastrointestinal) adverse events [4,5].

Source: Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice - October 14, 2018 Category: Endocrinology Authors: C. Santucci, M. Franchi, L.I. Staszewsky, C. La Vecchia, R. Latini, L. Merlino, G. Corrao, C. Bosetti Source Type: research