title: Cardiovascular protective properties of incretin-based therapies in type 2 diabetes.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Type 2 diabetes mellitus is a chronic dysmetabolic condition characterized by hyperglycemia and accompanied by dyslipidemia (low HDL, high triglycerides), and hypertension associated with insulin resistance in obesity. In addition to the glucose-reducing effects, incretin-based therapies have been found to have cardiovascular protective properties. This review summarizes the best available evidence favoring these positive pleiotropic effects of incretin mimetics as well as incretin enhancers.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Studies in animals and humans are accumulating showing the direct as well as indirect actions of the glucagon-like peptide 1 analogues and dipeptidyl peptidase 4 inhibitors on the cardiovascular system. This class of agents appear to have effects on the cardiomyocytes, blood vessels, adipose tissue, regulation of blood pressure, and postprandial intestinal lipoprotein metabolism.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Long-term hard outcome trials are under way that investigate the effects of incretin-based treatments on elevated cardiovascular risks in patients with type 2 diabetes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Medical Center Alkmaar, Alkmaar, The Netherlands. s.simsek@mca.nl
authors.forename: Suat
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Simsek
authors.forename: Bastiaan E
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: de Galan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002316:Cardiotonic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D054873:Dipeptidyl-Peptidase IV Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000067757:Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor; D006801:Humans; D054795:Incretins / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018027:Receptors, Glucagon / Q000819:agonists
chemical_list: D002316:Cardiotonic Agents; D054873:Dipeptidyl-Peptidase IV Inhibitors; C000593833:GLP1R protein, human; D000067757:Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor; D054795:Incretins; D018027:Receptors, Glucagon