[The clinical significance of early intervention for impaired glucose tolerance].
Diabetes is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. It is widely accepted that macrovascular complications start before the development of diabetes. Accumulating evidence shows that impaired glucose tolerance(IGT), a pre-diabetic condition, increases the risk of cardiovascular disease. Mechanistically, postprandial hyperglycemia produces excessive oxidative stress and induces endothelial dysfunction thereby promoting atherosclerosis. Therefore, it is critically important to intervene early on IGT for the prevention of not only diabetes, but also cardiovascular disease. Recent clinical studies have demonstrated that alpha-glucosidase inhibitors that improve postprandial hyperglycemia, can prevent the development of diabetes from IGT. Additionally, alpha-glucosidase inhibitors have been shown to inhibit the progression of cardiovascular disease. This review will focus on the clinical significance of early intervention for IGT with an emphasis on the prevention of cardiovascular disease.
Kawanami
Daiji
D
Division of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, The Jikei University School of Medicine.
Utsunomiya
Kazunori
K
D003925:Diabetic Angiopathies / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D011236:Prediabetic State / Q000628:therapy*