The 'collateral benefits' of noninsulin therapies for Type 2 diabetes

摘要

The increasing availability of non-insulin-based pharmacological therapy for Type 2 diabetes permits clinicians greater flexibility to design treatment regimens that suit individual patients' needs. Often, patients with Type 2 diabetes carry multiple comorbidities related to insulin resistance and inadequate diabetic control, which predispose to the development of further complications. Currently, drug treatment effects on body weight and cardiovascular risk reduction factor most heavily in drug selection. However, more data are needed on off-target treatment effects, which can affect reproductive function, bone mineral density, retinopathy and potential cancer risk. This review outlines factors apart from glycemic control that may influence drug selection of secondary diabetes agents.