New Delhi: The study, published in JAMA Network Open, has raised concerns about glipizide, a widely used medication for type 2 diabetes. Researchers from Mass General Brigham found that glipizide may increase the risk of heart failure, cardiovascular-related hospitalization, and death compared to newer alternatives. These findings are based on health data from nearly 50,000 patients across the United States.
Glipizide belongs to a group of medications called sulfonylureas, which are often prescribed due to their affordability and ability to lower blood sugar. However, this study suggests that not all drugs in this class carry the same level of cardiovascular risk.
The research team studied 48,165 adults with type 2 diabetes and moderate cardiovascular risk. All participants were already taking metformin, the standard first-line diabetes treatment. In addition, they were prescribed either a sulfonylurea (glipizide, glimepiride, or glyburide) or a DPP-4 inhibitor, a newer class of diabetes medication known for having a more neutral impact on the heart.
Over five years, researchers tracked serious cardiovascular outcomes, including stroke, heart failure, and cardiac-related deaths. They found that glipizide was linked to a 13% higher risk of these events compared to DPP-4 inhibitors. Glimepiride showed a slightly lower increase in risk, while glyburide results were less conclusive.
Dr. Alexander Turchin, the study’s senior author and a physician at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, stressed the importance of evaluating medications individually. “While sulfonylureas are effective and widely used, each drug should be considered on its own, especially in terms of long-term heart health,” he said.
The researchers called for further studies to better understand the biological reasons behind glipizide’s potential risks and to support safer treatment decisions for people with type 2 diabetes.