Risk of cardiovascular disease and all cause mortality among patients with type 2 diabetes prescribed oral antidiabetes drugs: retrospective cohort study using UK general practice research database.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the risk of incident myocardial infarction, congestive heart failure, and all cause mortality associated with prescription of oral antidiabetes drugs.


METHODS
Retrospective cohort study.


METHODS
UK general practice research database, 1990-2005.


METHODS
91,521 people with diabetes.


METHODS
Incident myocardial infarction, congestive heart failure, and all cause mortality. Person time intervals for drug treatment were categorised by drug class, excluding non-drug intervals and intervals for insulin.


RESULTS
3588 incident cases of myocardial infarction, 6900 of congestive heart failure, and 18,548 deaths occurred. Compared with metformin, monotherapy with first or second generation sulphonylureas was associated with a significant 24% to 61% excess risk for all cause mortality (P<0.001) and second generation sulphonylureas with an 18% to 30% excess risk for congestive heart failure (P=0.01 and P<0.001). The thiazolidinediones were not associated with risk of myocardial infarction; pioglitazone was associated with a significant 31% to 39% lower risk of all cause mortality (P=0.02 to P<0.001) compared with metformin. Among the thiazolidinediones, rosiglitazone was associated with a 34% to 41% higher risk of all cause mortality (P=0.14 to P=0.01) compared with pioglitazone. A large number of potential confounders were accounted for in the study; however, the possibility of residual confounding or confounding by indication (differences in prognostic factors between drug groups) cannot be excluded.


CONCLUSIONS
Our findings suggest a relatively unfavourable risk profile of sulphonylureas compared with metformin for all outcomes examined. Pioglitazone was associated with reduced all cause mortality compared with metformin. Pioglitazone also had a favourable risk profile compared with rosiglitazone; although this requires replication in other studies, it may have implications for prescribing within this class of drugs.
Tzoulaki
Ioanna
I
Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London W2 1PG.
Molokhia
Mariam
M
Curcin
Vasa
V
Little
Mark P
MP
Millett
Christopher J
CJ
Ng
Anthea
A
Hughes
Robert I
RI
Khunti
Kamlesh
K
Wilkins
Martin R
MR
Majeed
Azeem
A
Elliott
Paul
P
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000368:Aged; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D003925:Diabetic Angiopathies / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000401:mortality; D005260:Female; D050723:Fractures, Bone / Q000139:chemically induced; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000139:chemically induced*; D006801:Humans; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008297:Male; D008687:Metformin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000401:mortality; D000077205:Pioglitazone; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D000077154:Rosiglitazone; D013453:Sulfonylurea Compounds / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D045162:Thiazolidinediones / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects
D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D013453:Sulfonylurea Compounds; D045162:Thiazolidinediones; D000077154:Rosiglitazone; D008687:Metformin; D000077205:Pioglitazone