Gliptins
First, there really isn’t one “right” diabetes medicine that will work for everyone. Second, all medicines, new and old, have side effects, and you and your healthcare provider need to weigh the pros and cons of whatever medicine you may be taking - Amy Campbell
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Diabetes Medicine: DPP-4 Inhibitors
In 2006, the FDA approved a diabetes medicine from a brand-new class called DPP-4 inhibitors. DPP-4 stands for “dipeptidyl peptidase-4,” a type of enzyme. They’re also called “gliptins.” Sitagliptin (brand name Januvia) was the first drug in this class to be approved. To understand how DPP-4 inhibitors work, it helps to take a step back. When we eat, a type of hormone called incretin is released. Incretins, such as GLP-1, signal the body to release insulin, which, as you know, helps to lower blood sugar. Incretins also inhibit the release of glucagon from the pancreas. Glucagon is a hormone that works to raise blood sugar.
When the body makes incretins, DPP-4 removes them. This process…
Featured
Choosing a Gliptin
Gliptins have revolutionized the concept of diabetes management and have provided a breath of fresh air to healthcare professionals dealing with diabetes. They provide an effective and safe alternative to the management of diabetes.
Articles of Interest
Association of Dipeptidyl Peptidase 4 Inhibitor Use With Risk of Bullous Pemphigoid in Patients With Diabetes
Use of dipeptidyl peptidase 4 inhibitors, particularly vildagliptin, may be associated with the development of bullous pemphigoid in male patients with diabetes.
Diabetes Myth Buster: DPP4 Inhibitors vs GLP-1 Agonists
DPP-4 inhibitors primarily target the postprandial plasma glucose (PPG), whereas, GLP-1 receptor agonists target fasting plasma glucose (FPG) as well as PPG. This is the reason a higher A1c lowering effect is observed with GLP-1 agonists, due to the FPG lowering effect.
DPP-4 Inhibitor–Related Pancreatitis: Rare but Real!
DPP-4 inhibitors are well-established agents, and their benefits clearly outweigh the risks. Acute pancreatitis is real, but its frequency is very low to impede the generalized use of DPP-4 inhibitors unless more efficacious agents are preferred.
DPP4 Inhibitors and COVID-19–Holy Grail or Another Dead End?
According to recent structural studies the dipeptidyl peptidase 4, a key molecule in the pathophysiology of diabetes, may influence the course of COVID-19. Since DPP4 inhibitors, gliptins, are widely used in diabetes patients, the exact role of DPP4 modulation in SARS-CoV-2 infection, at least in that group, urgently needs to be clarified. In this short review, we discuss this issue with more detail.
Gliptins and their target dipeptidyl peptidase 4: implications for the treatment of vascular disease
Gliptins are accepted as a standard therapy for diabetes mellitus today. By inhibition of the enzyme dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP4), gliptins prolong the GLP1-dependent insulin secretion in the pancreatic β-cells and thus support physiological blood glucose control.
Gliptins: A New Class of Oral Antidiabetic Agents
Incretin based therapies present an alternative therapeutic strategy for patients with type 2 diabetes and, in general, show significant improvements in glycemic control and are well tolerated, particularly with regard to weight change and hypoglycemia. In addition, this class may preserve or even reverse the decline in β cell function that is observed in patients with diabetes. These characteristics suggest that gliptins should be considered useful agents in monotherapy and combination therapy for the treatment of type 2 diabetes.
Is the Popularity of Dipeptidyl-Peptidase-4 Inhibitors Justified? Insights From Mechanistic Studies and Clinical Trials
When compared with older antidiabetic drugs, DPP-4 inhibitors do not cause weight gain and are unlikely to trigger episodes of hypoglycemia. In contrast to sodium-glucose transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors, they do not lead to genitourinary infections. Collectively, these features contribute to the popularity of DPP-4 inhibitors in the management of diabetes.
Linagliptin And Glimepiride Compared In Type Two Diabetes
The double-blind study, which took place over two years in sixteen different countries, examined the effects of linagliptin versus glimepiride, one of the most commonly used sulphonylureas, in more than 1,500 patients with Type 2 diabetes who had not achieved normal glucose regulation through the use of metformin alone. While the two treatments produced comparable improvements in patients’ glucose regulation, the study showed that the side effects of linagliptin appear to be considerably less severe than those attributed to glimepiride...
New Diabetes Drugs Don't Raise Heart-Attack Risk
"While it is reassuring that evidence does not suggest [cardiovascular concerns], it is disappointing that none of these therapies provide CV benefit," Dr. Kaul said.
Resources
GoodRx
Gliptins or dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors are used to lower blood sugar levels to treat diabetes type 2. They work by increasing insulin and suppressing glucagon.
