Sulfonylureas was the mainstay of the threatment of type 2 diabetes for many years. They stimulate the body to produce or screte more insulin. Other benefical effect of the sulfonylurea class of drug include suppression of glucose poduction in the liver and enhancement of the bodys ability to dispose of excess glucose into fat and muscle tisssue,
A drawback of sulfonyl urea is that, on average they lose effectiveness for 44% of patients within six years of beginning their use.
Furthermore when used together with other drug, even though the sulfonylurea seems to lost its effectiveness, the other drugs will work better in combination than on their own.
Hypoglycaemia and weight gain are the two most frequent side effect of these drugs.
An early study, the UGDP (university Group Diabetes Program), Published in the 1970, also raised the possibility that sulfonylureas might make heart disease worse.However, the UKPDS study,mentioned earlier found that sulfonylureas are no more likely to increase coronary artery disease than any of the other agents tested ( Insulin And Metformin) so the jury is out with respect to heart disease. We do know, However that sulfonylureas have little or no effect on blood lipid concentratiions.
