Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi

New Delhi, Jul 26: A new US-based study has raised concerns over Glipizide, a commonly prescribed type 2 diabetes drug, suggesting it may increase the risk of heart failure, related hospitalisations, and death compared to alternative medications.

Researchers from Mass General Brigham analysed health data from nearly 50,000 patients treated with various sulfonylureas and found that Glipizide was associated with a 13% higher cardiovascular risk than DPP-4 inhibitors, a newer class of diabetes drugs considered to have a more neutral impact on heart health. The findings were published in JAMA Network Open.

“Patients with type 2 diabetes already face heightened cardiovascular risks. While sulfonylureas are widely used due to affordability, we lack robust long-term data on their heart safety,” said Dr. Alexander Turchin, corresponding author from the Brigham and Women’s Hospital.

The study tracked patients with moderate cardiovascular risk over five years across 10 medical centres. All patients were already taking metformin, and the comparison looked at add-on therapies — sulfonylureas like glimepiride, glipizide, and glyburide versus DPP-4 inhibitors.

Among the sulfonylureas:

• Glipizide showed the highest cardiovascular risk
• Glimepiride had a modest effect
• Glyburide results were less conclusive

The findings emphasize the need to evaluate each drug individually within a class, rather than assuming uniform effects, the researchers said. They also called for further studies to understand the biological mechanisms behind Glipizide’s apparent cardiac impact.

Type 2 diabetes affects millions globally and is a major contributor to heart disease, making drug safety a key concern in long-term disease management.