title: Cardiovascular safety profile of currently available diabetic drugs.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality among patients with diabetes, underscoring the importance of choosing drugs that do not increase cardiovascular risk and reduce the risk of cardiovascular events. Since 2008, the US Food and Drug Administration has recommended that new drugs for type 2 diabetes undergo clinical trials to demonstrate cardiovascular safety in addition to glycemic benefit. In 2012, the European Medicines Agency issued a similar recommendation.
  
  
  METHODS
  We searched the PubMed, Cochrane CENTRAL, EMBASE, and CINAHL databases from inception through August 2013 and compiled and reviewed the existing data on the cardiovascular safety profiles of currently available diabetic drugs.
  
  
  RESULTS
  While intensive glycemic control in diabetics has been consistently shown to reduce the risk of microvascular complications, the data on macrovascular risk reduction have not been as clear, and questions have been raised about possible increases in cardiovascular morbidity and mortality.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Careful selection of drug therapy-paying particular attention to cardiovascular safety-is important in optimizing diabetic therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Paul Foster School of Medicine, El Paso, TX.
authors.forename: Komola
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Azimova
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Paul Foster School of Medicine, El Paso, TX.
authors.forename: Zinnia
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: San Juan
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Paul Foster School of Medicine, El Paso, TX.
authors.forename: Debabrata
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mukherjee
keywords: Acarbose; biguanides; cardiovascular diseases; diabetes mellitus; dipeptidyl-peptidase 4 inhibitors; drug therapy; dyslipidemias; hypertension; incretins; sulfonylurea compounds