Dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors: their role in the management of type 2 diabetes

Abstract

The production of glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1), an incretin hormone, has been shown to be abnormally low in patients with type 2 diabetes, suggesting that GLP-1 may be a contributor in the pathogenesis of the disease. New type 2 diabetic medications target incretin hormones in their mechanism of action. The incretin effect is based on the understanding that oral glucose has a greater stimulatory effect on insulin secretion than that of intravenous glucose. Over the past few years, a number of therapeutic agents, acting either as incretin mimetics, e.g. GLP-1 agonists, or inhibitors of the breakdown of GLP-1, e.g. dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors, have become available as treatment options for the management of type 2 diabetes.