[Oral antidiabetic therapy and cardiovascular complications: theoretical problem or clinical evidence?].

Theoretical and experimental research data as well as human epidemiological studies on large populations suggest a great difference in influencing cardiovascular processes and alterations among the oral antidiabetic drugs used in the treatment of type II diabetes mellitus. Drugs delaying or inhibiting carbohydrate absorption as well as insulin sensitizers have an unambiguous reducing effect on diabetic cardiovascular complications. Only fluid retention needs precaution during the treatment with thiazolidinedions in patients suffering from heart disease. Among insulin secretizers repaglinid, glibenclamid and glipizide have an ATP-sensitive potassium channel inhibiting effect in the vascular smooth muscle cells, too, reducing hereby vasodilation. Glibenclamide also inhibits ischaemic preconditioning. Therefore, the antidiabetic drug of choice can be decisive in diabetic patients suffering from ischaemic heart diseases or peripheral obliterative disorders. In the case of secondary sulphonylurea resistance and/or severe ischaemic alterations insulin treatment becomes necessary to avoid further cardiovascular complications.