Low risk of hypoglycemia and high efficacy of gliclazide MB: results of recent studies

Sulfonylureas are widely prescribed all over the world, mainly because of their high effectiveness. At the same time, the heterogeneity of the group is obvious, primarily in relation to the effect of drugs on the risk of developing hypoglycemic events. The review presents the results of new studies, including «Comparative effectiveness of gliclazide modified release versus sitagliptin as second-line treatment after metformin monotherapy in patients with uncontrolled type 2 diabetes» and results of a model-based meta-analysis of 24 antihyperglycemic drugs for type 2 diabetes, confirming the higher efficacy of modified release gliclazide (gliclazide MB) compared to DPP-4, as well as a low risk of hypoglycemic conditions. The results of recent studies, as well as the results of the ADVANCE and ADVANCE-ON studies, suggest that gliclazide MB is safe to use as a second-line drug, especially in patients with chronic kidney disease.