title: The effects of dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors on cardiovascular disease risks in type 2 diabetes mellitus.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To review the current literature investigating the effects of dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors on the risk factors of cardiovascular disease (CVD).
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a search of PubMed and MEDLINE database, using the term DPP-4 inhibitor in combination with the following terms: metabolic syndrome, hypertension, dyslipidemia, insulin resistance, obesity, and CVD. We reviewed 100 relevant studies out of 227 articles, excluding single case reports, studies using animal models, and reports not written in English. We included 38 references in this review article.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The majority of the recent clinical studies have demonstrated that DPP-4 inhibitors have beneficial effects on cardiovascular (CV) system. These agents may have the potential to lower blood pressure, improve lipid profile and endothelial dysfunction, decrease the macrophage-mediated inflammatory response, and prevent myocardial injury.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  DPP-4 inhibitors have some CV protective effects in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in addition to their antidiabetic actions. Long-term outcome clinical trials are under way to investigate the effects of the DPP-4 inhibitors on the elevated CV risks in patients with T2DM. Further investigation in a large cohort is warranted to assess the exact mechanisms of CV protective effects of DPP-4 inhibitors.
authors.affiliation: Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Nutrition, Department of Medicine, UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, NJ 08903, USA.
authors.forename: Pegah
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Yousefzadeh
authors.forename: Xiangbing
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000517:prevention & control*; D002319:Cardiovascular System / Q000187:drug effects; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D054873:Dipeptidyl-Peptidase IV Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D012306:Risk
chemical_list: D054873:Dipeptidyl-Peptidase IV Inhibitors