Rosiglitazone: potential beneficial impact on cardiovascular disease

Rosiglitazone, a potent member of the thiazolidinedione class of oral antidiabetic agents, reduces hyperglycaemia by improving insulin sensitivity--an important underlying factor in the development of both type 2 diabetes and its related cardiovascular complications. Rosiglitazone has now been available in clinical practice for more than three years, so there is a large body of evidence supporting its efficacy and safety as an antihyperglycaemic agent in patients with type 2 diabetes. Given the significant burden imposed on patients and healthcare resources by diabetes-related cardiovascular disease (CVD), there is growing interest in the thiazolidinediones in terms of their potential to ameliorate CVD risk factors as a result of their insulin-sensitising action and thus improve cardiovascular outcomes in individuals with type 2 diabetes. As reviewed below, rosiglitazone has a beneficial impact on a number of factors associated with insulin resistance and CVD, including microalbuminuria, hypertension, dyslipidaemia, visceral fat, elevated plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 levels and increased concentrations of C-reactive protein. These thiazolidinedione compounds are not problem-free and the long-term implications of some of rosiglitazone side-effects such as weight gain, changes in LDL-cholesterol concentration and fluid retention remain to be resolved. Large-scale clinical outcome studies should give a clearer picture for rosiglitazone and related thiazolidinediones in relation to the extent of their impact on diabetes disease progression and incident cardiovascular events.