title: Potential cardiovascular effects of incretin-based therapies.
abstract: Glucagon-like peptide (GLP)-1 agonists and dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors are two classes of drugs that have been approved for treatment of Type 2 diabetes mellitus, based upon the glucose-lowering actions of the gastrointestinal hormone GLP-1. However, GLP-1 receptors are also present in cardiovascular tissues. Data from animal and in vitro studies suggest that GLP-1 may have cardioprotective effects and improve myocardial and endothelial dysfunction. Clinical data demonstrating cardiovascular effects are more limited, and there is some evidence that incretin-based therapies may be associated with improvements in cardiovascular risk factors. Large prospective cardiovascular outcome trials are underway to examine the cardiovascular safety of incretin-based therapies, and may reveal whether these agents are associated with any reduction in cardiovascular adverse events in patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences, Panum Institute, Blegdamsvej 3, DK-2200 Copenhagen, Denmark. deacon@sund.ku.dk
authors.forename: Carolyn F
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Deacon
authors.forename: Nikolaus
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Marx
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D052216:Glucagon-Like Peptide 1 / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D054795:Incretins / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D054795:Incretins; D052216:Glucagon-Like Peptide 1