title: Place of sulfonylureas in the management of type 2 diabetes mellitus in South Asia: A consensus statement.
abstract: Since their introduction in clinical practice in the 1950's, Sulfonylureas (SUs) have remained the main-stay of pharmacotherapy in the management of type 2 diabetes. Despite their well-established benefits, their place in therapy is inappropriately being overshadowed by newer therapies. Many of the clinical issues associated with the use of SUs are agent-specific, and do not pertain to the class as such. Modern SUs (glimepiride, gliclazide MR) are backed by a large body of evidence, experience, and most importantly, outcome data, which supports their role in managing patients with diabetes. Person-centred care, i.e., careful choice of SU, appropriate dosage, timing of administration, and adequate patient counseling, will ensure that deserving patients are not deprived of the advantages of this well-established class of anti-diabetic agents. Considering their efficacy, safety, pleiotropic benefits, and low cost of therapy, SUs should be considered as recommended therapy for the treatment of diabetes in South Asia. This initiative by SAFES aims to encourage rational, safe and smart prescription of SUs, and includes appropriate medication counseling.
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, Bharti Hospital and BRIDE, Karnal, Haryana, India.
authors.forename: Sanjay
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kalra
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, Post Graduate Medical Institute Hayatabad Medical Complex, Peshawar, Pakistan.
authors.forename: A H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Aamir
authors.affiliation: Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital and Research Centre, Lahore, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Abbas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Raza
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, Pondicherry Institute of Medical Sciences, Puducherry, India.
authors.forename: A K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Das
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Bangladesh University of Health Sciences, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
authors.forename: A K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Azad Khan
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, Norvic International Hospital, Kathmandu, Nepal.
authors.forename: Dina
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Shrestha
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, Al-Khaliq Medicare Hospital, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
authors.forename: Md Faisal
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Qureshi
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, Shahbag, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
authors.lastname: Md Fariduddin
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, BIRDEM Hospital, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
authors.forename: Md Faruque
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Pathan
authors.affiliation: Department of Diabetology, Medilink Clinics, Karachi, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Fatema
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Jawad
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Trivuvan University, Kathmandu, Nepal.
authors.forename: Jyoti
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bhattarai
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Ansari Nagar, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Nikhil
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Tandon
authors.affiliation: South Asian Federation of Endocrine Societies, National Hospital, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
authors.forename: Noel
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Somasundaram
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Medicines, Diabetes Research Unit, University of Colombo, Colombo, Sri Lanka.
authors.forename: Prasad
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Katulanda
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, Osmania Medical College, Hyderabad, Telangana, India.
authors.forename: Rakesh
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sahay
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Nepal Medical College Teaching Hospital, Kathmandu, Nepal.
authors.forename: Sanjib
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dhungel
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, MLN Medical College, Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh, India.
authors.forename: Sarita
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bajaj
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, IPGMER and SSKM Hospital, Kolkata, West Bengal, India.
authors.forename: Subhankar
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chowdhury
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, IPGMER, Kolkata, West Bengal, India.
authors.forename: Sujoy
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ghosh
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine and Head, Centre for Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism, UCMS-GTB Hospital, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: S V
authors.initials: SV
authors.lastname: Madhu
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, BIRDEM, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
authors.forename: Tofail
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ahmed
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, Kalubowila South Teaching Hospital, Kalubowila, Sri Lanka.
authors.forename: Uditha
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Bulughapitiya
keywords: Anti-hyperglycaemic agent; gliclazide; glimepiride; glipizide; safety; sulfonylurea; type 2 diabetes mellitus; vascular complications