Commonly Used Type 2 Diabetes Medication Linked to Higher Rate of Heart-Related Conditions

Analyzing data from nearly 50,000 patients with moderate cardiovascular risk, this study found that those taking glipizide had a 13 percent greater chance of experiencing major heart problems, including heart failure and cardiovascular death, over five years.

The study compared different sulfonylurea drugs – glimepiride, glipizide, and glyburide – with DPP-4 inhibitors, a class of oral medications used to treat type 2 diabetes. Patients also took metformin, another widely used treatment for type 2 diabetes. While glimepiride and glyburide showed either weaker or unclear effects, glipizide stood out for its significantly increased risk. The researchers therefore urge clinicians to consider these findings when selecting diabetes treatments.

To check out Dr. Rath’s Cellular Health recommendations for diabetes, see this page on our website.