Pioglitazone: an antidiabetic drug with the potency to reduce cardiovascular mortality.

Pioglitazone is an antidiabetic drug known to decrease peripheral, hepatic and vascular insulin resistance by the stimulation of PPARgamma. In clinical trials, pioglitazone as monotherapy or in combination with other oral antidiabetic drugs or insulin has demonstrated to effectively improve blood glucose levels, long-term glucose control and the lipid profile. The vascular effects of pioglitazone include improvement of endothelial function and microcirculation, reduction of blood pressure and inflammatory surrogate markers of atherosclerosis, and a reduction of a composite measure of macrovascular events (death, stroke and myocardial infarctions). The drug is well tolerated and has an acceptable side effect profile. Because of its additional microvascular and macrovascular effects, pioglitazone is an attractive and effective treatment option for the management of Type 2 diabetes mellitus.