L14 - Drug treatment of type 2 diabetes Flashcards
Major target tissues of insulin
- Liver, adipose and skeletal muscle
Effect of insulin on hepatic cells
- Decreases gluconeogenesis, glycogenolysis, ketogenesis, (increases glycogen synthesis)
Effect of insulin on muscle cells
- Increases GLUT-4 translocation to the membrane and hence increase glucose uptake, glucose oxidation, glycogen synthesis, amino acid uptake, protein synthesis
- Decreases glycogenolysis, amino acid release
Effect of insulin on adipocytes
- Increase glucose uptake, increase triglyceride synthesis; decrease FFA and glycerol release
Net effects of insulin
- Cause hypoglycemia and increase fuel storage in muscle, fat tissue and liver
Drugs used to treat insulin resistance
- Metformin
- Thiazolidinediones
Class of drugs used to reduce renal glucose absorption in hyperglycaemia
- SGLT-2 inhibitors
Treatment for loss of beta-cell mass in diabetes
- Insulin replacement therapy
Drugs used to treat beta-cell dysfunction in diabetes
- Sulphonylureas
- GLP-1 analogues
- DDP-4 inhibitors
Examples of sulfonylureas
- Gliclazide, glipizide, glimepiride
Features of sulfonylureas
- All orally active
- All bound to plasma protein (90-99%)
Primary mechanism of action - sulfonylureas
- Stimulates endogenous insulin release
- Sulfonylureas bind to and close ATP-sensitive K+ (KATP) channels on the cell membrane of pancreatic beta cells, which depolarizes the cell by preventing potassium from exiting. This depolarization opens voltage-gated Ca2+ channels.
- The rise in intracellular calcium leads to increased fusion of insulin granulae with the cell membrane, and therefore increased secretion of mature insulin
Secondary mechanisms of actions - sulfonylureas
- Sensitise beta-cells to glucose
- Decrease lipolysis
- Decrease clearance of insulin by the liver
Therapeutic uses of sulfonylureas
Useful in type-2 DM only
• best patient is
○ over 40 yrs. old
○ DM duration less than 10 yrs.
○ daily insulin (if taking) less than 40 units
• can be used in combination with other anti-diabetic drugs
What is a major side effect of sulfonylureas
- Hypoglycaemia
How do biguanide drugs(oral antihyperglycemic agents) differ from sulfonylureas and meglitinides
- Differ from sulfonylureas and meglitinides both chemically and in mechanism of action
- biguanides do not stimulate insulin release or cause hypoglycemia
- biguanides appear to increase glucose uptake in muscle and decrease glucose production by liver.
Biguanide drugs - mechanism of action
- Suppression of hepatic glucose production through gluconeogenesis through AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) dependent and independent pathways
- AMPK increases expression of the nuclear transcription factor SHP which in turn inhibits the expression of hepatic gluconeogenic genes phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK) and glucose-6-phosphatase
Effect of biguanide drugs on insulin sensitivity
- Increases insulin sensitivity
- Possibly through improved insulin binding to insulin receptors
Effect of biguanide drugs on peripheral glucose uptake
Enhances peripheral glucose uptake
- Increased GLUT 4 translocation through AMPK
- Heart muscle metabolic changes by p38 MAPCK and PKC-dependent mechanisms and independent of AMPK
Effect of biguanide drugs on fatty acid oxidation
- Increases fatty acid oxidation via decreasing insulin-induced suppression of fatty acid oxidation
- Decreases glucose absorption from GI tract
Properties of metformin
- orally active
- does not bind plasma proteins
- excreted unchanged in urine
- half-life 1.3 - 4.5 h
- often combined in a single pill with other anti-diabetic medications
- also used for polycystic ovary syndrome
Adverse effects and toxicity of biguanides
- metformin produces lactic acidemia only rarely
- more frequent in patients with renal impairment
- nausea, abdominal discomfort, diarrhea, metallic taste, anorexia more common
- vitamin B12 and folate absorption decreased with chronic metformin
- myocardial infarction or septicemia mandate immediate stoppage (associated renal dysfunction)
Metformin contraindications
- hepatic disease
- past history of lactic acidosis (any cause)
- cardiac failure
- chronic hypoxic lung disease
- causes metabolic acidosis
First ‘glitazone’(thiazolidinediones) to be approved
- Troglitazone was first ‘glitazone’ approved for use in NIDDM; off the market now due to hepatic failures