Incretin mimetics and enhancers for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus.
Recently, new therapeutic strategies based on the incretin system have been developed for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus. The present mini-review aims to provide a short overview of the background of this incretin system and the therapeutic potential of incretin mimetics and enhancers (DPP-4 inhibitors). The function of the incretin system, which shows gradual failure in type 2 diabetes, can be restored by incretin mimetics or DPP-4 inhibitors, with subsequently an improve of glycaemic control without an increase of risk for hypoglycaemia, as long as not combined with glucose-lowering agents like sulfonylureas or insulin. Incretin mimetics have additional important weight-reducing properties, though associated with gastro-intestinal adverse events. DPP-4 inhibitors appear to be 'weight neutral' and show a safe profile in a limited number of available clinical studies of short duration.
Department of Endocrinology, University Hospital Ghent, Belgium. johannes.ruige@ugent.be
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JB
Ruige
D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D018819:Dipeptidyl Peptidase 4 / Q000097:blood; D054873:Dipeptidyl-Peptidase IV Inhibitors; D006801:Humans; D054795:Incretins / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D001786:Blood Glucose; D054873:Dipeptidyl-Peptidase IV Inhibitors; D054795:Incretins; C042807:DPP4 protein, human; D018819:Dipeptidyl Peptidase 4