Advances in pharmacotherapy of type 2 diabetes [part-3: the gliptins]

Type 2 diabetes is witnessing major advances in pharmacotherapy. After a rather dormant period spanning the period from 1960s to the 1990's following the discovery of the sulphonylurea and biguanide groups of drugs in the 1950's, significant advances have been achieved in discovering new drugs. This has been possible because of the advances in biotechnology. In this part of the series of reviews we will be looking at the second group of the incretin-based therapies. These gliptins which include several agents, namely sitagliptin, vildagliptin and saxagliptin, with others still in development. The other group of the incretin-based agents the incretin mimetics have been discussed in more details in the previous issue of this journal

Recent advances in pharmacotherapy for type-2 diabetes: a review [part 1]

The global incidence of Type-2 diabetes is on the rise and the public health and resource implications of the disease will be very enormous. The therapeutic armamentarium has been very much static up to the last decade of the last century when more several agents were developed and marketed. New oral agents followed the footsteps of the sulphonylureas and biguanides, and agents like the alpha-glucosidase inhibitors, meglitinides, thiazolidinediones and incretin-based therapeutic agents have added a new dimension to the management of the disease and more options for the increasing number of patients. Other novel agents are still in development. Furthermore, advances in scientific research and clinical practice and patient's care have shed the light on the importance of the holistic approach for management of these patients, and the need to address the devastating complications and the best way of achieving this. This paper is the first part of a series of reviews that is aimed at surfing the current developments in pharmacotherapy of Type-2 diabetes

Epidemiology, clinical and complications profile of diabetes in Saudi Arabia: a review

Diabetes mellitus is emerging as a major public health probelm in Saudi Arabia in parallel with the worldwide diabetes pandemic, which is having a particular impact upon the Middle East and the third world. This pandemic has accompanied the adoption of a modern lifestyle and the abandonment of a traditional lifestyle, with a resultant increase in rates of obesity and other chronic non-communicable diseases. The indigenous Saudi population seems to have a special genetic predisposition to develop type 2 diabetes, which is further amplified by a rise in obesity rates, a high rate of consanguinity and the presence of other variables of the insulin resistance syndrome. We highlight the epidemiology, clinical and complications profiles of diabetes in Saudi people. Diabetes is well studied in Saudi Arabia; however, there seems to be little research in the area of education and health care delivery. This is of paramount importance to offset the perceived impact on health care delivery services, to lessen chronic diabetes complications, and to reduce the expected morbidity and mortality from diabetes