title: Pioglitazone and rosiglitazone for diabetes.
abstract: Pioglitazone (Actos-Takeda) and rosiglitazone (Avandia-GlaxoSmithKline) belong to a new class of oral antidiabetic medicines (the glitazones or thiazolidinediones). Both are licensed in the UK for "oral combination treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus in [narrowly defined groups of] patients with insufficient glycaemic control despite maximal tolerated dose of oral monotherapy with either metformin or a sulphonylurea". They are not licensed for use as monotherapy, in combination with insulin, or as part of triple therapy with metformin or a sulphonylurea. What can pioglitazone and rosiglitazone offer in the management of patients with type 2 diabetes?
mesh_terms: D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D006801:Humans; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000077205:Pioglitazone; D000077154:Rosiglitazone; D013844:Thiazoles / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D045162:Thiazolidinediones
chemical_list: D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D013844:Thiazoles; D045162:Thiazolidinediones; D000077154:Rosiglitazone; D000077205:Pioglitazone