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DOI: 10.1177/0145721708319238
Beyond Glycemic ControlThe Effects of Incretin Hormones in Type 2 DiabetesFrom the Division of Metabolism, Endocrinology, and Diabetes, Michigan Diabetes Research and Training Center, University of Michigan Health System, Ann Arbor, Michigan. Correspondence to Catherine L. Martin, MS, APRN, BC-ADM, CDE, University of Michigan Health System, 400 N. Ingalls, G 148/SPC 5482, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 (martinc{at}med.umich.edu). The improved understanding of glucoregulatory hormones has driven the development of new pharmacologic agents to treat type 2 diabetes. One new class of antihyperglycemic medication is incretin mimetics (IMs). Incretin hormones potentiate insulin secretion following meal ingestion, a process that is impaired in patients with type 2 diabetes. GLP-1, a 30–amino acid peptide incretin hormone, is produced in the L cells of the ileum and colon. Studies have shown that a 6-week continuous GLP-1 infusion in patients with type 2 diabetes improved glycemic control and β-cell function and delayed gastric emptying. Despite the rapid degradation and inactivation of GLP-1 by the enzyme dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPP-IV), agents that mimic the actions of GLP-1 are of great clinical interest. First-in-class IM exenatide, a GLP-1 receptor agonist resistant to DPP-IV inactivation, mimics many beneficial glucoregulatory effects of GLP-1, such as suppressing glucagon secretion, regulating gastric emptying and satiety, and increasing glucose-dependent insulin secretion. Exenatide is an adjunctive therapy for patients who take metformin, a sulfonylurea, a thiazolidinedione, or a combination of these oral medications but have not achieved glycemic control. An 82-week, open-label extension trial has shown that exenatide is well tolerated and that the benefits, including improved glycemic control, weight loss, and mitigation of cardiovascular risk factors, are sustained.
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