Summary
We have evaluated the effects of repaglinide, a new non-sulphonylurea oral hypoglycaemic agent that has a stimulatory effect on insulin secretion. Forty-four patients with NIDDM, already treated with a sulphonylurea, took part in an open, randomised, group comparison study of 12 weeks duration, during which they received either repaglinide or glibenclamide twice daily.
While glibenclamide had a greater effect on fasting blood glucose (10.4 to 8.6 mmol·l−1), repaglinide significantly lowered postprandial blood glucose (13.8 to 12.2 mmol· l−1). Glycosylated haemoglobin remained unchanged in both groups, and serum fructosamine showed a tendency to fall. With both treatments total cholesterol was significantly decreased after 12 weeks, while HDL-cholesterol and triglycerides did not change. Fasting plasma insulin in the repaglinide group decreased from 80 (median value) to 67 pmol·l−1; it did not change in the glibenclamide group. Two patients in the repaglinide group did not complete the study, one for personal reasons, and one because of a rise in blood glucose.
No abnormal findings attributable to repaglinide were observed in clinical and laboratory examinations, and no hypoglycaemic symptoms caused by it were observed.
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Wolffenbuttel, B.H.R., Nijst, L., Sels, J.P.J.E. et al. Effects of a new oral hypoglycaemic agent, repaglinide, on metabolic control in sulphonylurea-treated patients with NIDDM. Eur J Clin Pharmacol 45, 113–116 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00315490
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00315490