Pharmacological Intervention for the Prevention of Diabetes Mellitus / 임상당뇨병

ABSTRACT

Diabetes mellitus is rapidly increasing worldwide, especially in Africa and Asia. According to the Diabetes Fact Sheet in Korea 2018, the prevalence of diabetes in adults 30 years and older is 14.4% (5.01 million), indicating that nearly 1 in 7 Korean adults have diabetes. Another approximately 25% of adults 30 years and older (8.71 million people) have impaired fasting glucose, so-called “prediabetes.” Thus, 1 in 3 adults are diabetic or at risk for diabetes. The diabetic population is expected to reach approximately 6 million in 2050, representing two-fold growth over the next 40 years. Although the etiology of diabetes mellitus is multifactorial, obesity is suspected to be a main factor for the increasing prevalence in Korea. The average body mass index of diabetics is around 25 kg/m². Prevention is the best way to decrease the global burden of diabetes. Many trials on the prevention of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) have been performed. Lifestyle modification is one of the most powerful strategies for the prevention of T2DM, but medications are believed to be effective in certain populations. These preventive effects can vary according to ethnicity, sex, and genetic background. Although there is little evidence of potential pharmacotherapy for diabetes prevention in Korea, this lecture will review available medications in the context of T2DM prevention.