THE EFFECTS OF GLIBENCLAMIDE ON GLUCOSE-HOMEOSTASIS AND LIPOPROTEIN METABOLISM IN POORLY CONTROLLED TYPE-2 DIABETES

Six patients with type 2 diabetes underwent detailed metabolic studies before and after a minimum of 3 months' glibenclamide therapy. Treatment was associated with a small but significant increase in body weight. Despite improvements in almost all the measured parameters of glucose homeostasis (plasma glucose, glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1), hepatic glucose production and insulin-mediated glucose disposal) neither fasting serum triglycerides nor HDL cholesterol changed and apoprotein A1 concentrations actually decreased significantly. NEFA and glycerol in fasting plasma and during the clamp studies did not change significantly with treatment. Post-heparin lipoprotein lipase and hepatic lipase activity did not change significantly. Thus, despite substantial improvements in glycaemic control and insulin sensitivity with sulphonylurea therapy, several aspects of lipid and lipoprotein metabolism remain largely unaffected. This small study suggests either that lipoprotein concentrations in type 2 diabetes are not influenced by insulin sensitivity or that the improvement is offset by another change that occurs during this form of therapy. It also suggests that other forms of therapy will be required to improve these cardiovascular risk factors in type 2 diabetes.