title: Rosiglitazone: potential beneficial impact on cardiovascular disease.
abstract: Rosiglitazone, a potent member of the thiazolidinedione class of oral antidiabetic agents, reduces hyperglycaemia by improving insulin sensitivity--an important underlying factor in the development of both type 2 diabetes and its related cardiovascular complications. Rosiglitazone has now been available in clinical practice for more than three years, so there is a large body of evidence supporting its efficacy and safety as an antihyperglycaemic agent in patients with type 2 diabetes. Given the significant burden imposed on patients and healthcare resources by diabetes-related cardiovascular disease (CVD), there is growing interest in the thiazolidinediones in terms of their potential to ameliorate CVD risk factors as a result of their insulin-sensitising action and thus improve cardiovascular outcomes in individuals with type 2 diabetes. As reviewed below, rosiglitazone has a beneficial impact on a number of factors associated with insulin resistance and CVD, including microalbuminuria, hypertension, dyslipidaemia, visceral fat, elevated plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 levels and increased concentrations of C-reactive protein. These thiazolidinedione compounds are not problem-free and the long-term implications of some of rosiglitazone side-effects such as weight gain, changes in LDL-cholesterol concentration and fluid retention remain to be resolved. Large-scale clinical outcome studies should give a clearer picture for rosiglitazone and related thiazolidinediones in relation to the extent of their impact on diabetes disease progression and incident cardiovascular events.
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Internal Medicine, GKT School of Medicine, KCL Guy's Hospital, London, UK.
authors.forename: G C
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Viberti
mesh_terms: D000419:Albuminuria / Q000209:etiology; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000209:etiology; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000209:etiology; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000188:drug therapy*; D003925:Diabetic Angiopathies / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D006943:Hyperglycemia / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006949:Hyperlipidemias / Q000209:etiology; D006973:Hypertension / Q000209:etiology; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D009765:Obesity; D012307:Risk Factors; D000077154:Rosiglitazone; D013844:Thiazoles / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D045162:Thiazolidinediones
chemical_list: D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D013844:Thiazoles; D045162:Thiazolidinediones; D000077154:Rosiglitazone