New drugs for the treatment of diabetes - Part II: Incretin-based therapy and beyond

This is the second of a 2-part series focusing on newer therapies for type 2 diabetes and their cardiovascular implications. In the first segment, we reviewed the thiazolidinediones, highlighting emerging data concerning their cardiovascular effects, both positive and negative. Here, we present a corresponding discussion of the newest antihyperglycemic category, modulators of the incretin system, which include the glucagon-like peptide-1 mimetics and the dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors. In addition, we briefly survey several novel drug classes in development, provide summary recommendations for glucose-lowering regimens in specific patient types, underscore the importance of nonglucose cardiovascular risk reduction strategies, and comment on present and future considerations for the regulatory review of diabetes drugs.