Mortality Rates Differ with Different Sulfonylureas

Mortality Rates Differ with Different Sulfonylureas: The risk for overall mortality is similar in patients with Type 2 diabetes receiving glipizide, glyburide, or glimepiride monotherapy, according to the results of a retrospective cohort study. The findings suggest that glimepiride may be the preferred sulfonylurea in patients with underlying coronary artery disease (CAD). In the entire cohort, these agents did not differ significantly in the risk for overall mortality. In patients with documented CAD, however, there was a trend towards increased overall mortality risk with glyburide or glipizide vs glimepiride. On the basis of these findings, the investigators concluded that no increased mortality risk among the individual sulfonylureas was identified. However, they did suggest that glimepiride may be the preferred sulfonylurea in patients with underlying CAD. Diabetes Care. Published online March 9, 2010