GLICLAZIDE - AN UPDATE OF ITS PHARMACOLOGICAL PROPERTIES AND THERAPEUTIC EFFICACY IN NON-INSULIN-DEPENDENT DIABETES-MELLITUS

Gliclazide is a second generation sulphonylurea oral hypoglycaemic age nt used in the treatment of non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (N IDDM). It improves defective insulin secretion and may reverse insulin resistance observed in patients with NIDDM. These actions are reflect ed in a reduction in blood glucose levels which is maintained during b oth short and long term administration, and is comparable with that ac hieved by other sulphonylurea agents. Gradually accumulating evidence suggests that gliclazide may be useful in patients with diabetic retin opathy, due to its haemobiological actions, and that addition of glicl azide to insulin therapy enables insulin dosage to be reduced. Thus, g liclazide is an effective agent for the treatment of the metabolic def ects associated with NIDDM and may have the added advantage of potenti ally slowing the progression of diabetic retinopathy. These actions, t ogether with its good general tolerability and low incidence of hypogl ycaemia have allowed gliclazide to be well placed within the array of oral hypoglycaemic agents available for the control of NIDDM.