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A new study has found no “convincing evidence” that glitazones are better than other diabetes drugs when used on their own.
The glitazones (pioglitazone and rosiglitazone), also used in combined double and triple therapy, now make up half of the NHS spend in oral drugs for the regulation of blood sugar (glycaemic control).
The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) is expected to announce new guidance on the drugs next month.
But a study of evidence by the Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin (DTB) found that while the drugs have a place in combined treatments with either metformin or a sulphonylurea people with type 2 diabetes who are unsuited to one or other of these older drugs it insisted there was “no convincing evidence” that there were greater health benefits when taken alone.
The DTB said: “Evidence for their use in triple therapy is also weak, and they should be reserved for patients in whom insulin is contraindicated or is likely to be poorly tolerated.”
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Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin
