Liraglutide for type 2 diabetes?
Several drugs that act on the incretin hormonal system are now licensed in the UK as add-on therapy for patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and inadequate glycaemic control. Liraglutide (Victoza--Novo Nordisk) is a recently licensed long-acting glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) mimetic that can be given once daily as a subcutaneous injection, as part of either dual or triple therapy. Advertising claims that use of the drug leads to "reductions in weight"; "reductions in systolic blood pressure"; and "improvements in beta-cell function", as well as reductions in blood glucose concentrations. Here we assess the evidence for these claims and consider whether liraglutide has a role in the management of patients with type 2 diabetes.
D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000077270:Exenatide; D052216:Glucagon-Like Peptide 1 / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007328:Insulin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000069450:Liraglutide; D009325:Nausea / Q000139:chemically induced; D010455:Peptides / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D014688:Venoms / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014839:Vomiting / Q000139:chemically induced; D015431:Weight Loss / Q000187:drug effects
D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D007328:Insulin; D010455:Peptides; D014688:Venoms; D000069450:Liraglutide; D052216:Glucagon-Like Peptide 1; D000077270:Exenatide