1. ↑- likely due to hypoglycemia and weight gain
Impact of Intensive Therapy in Type 2 Diabetes Summary of Major Clinical Trials: : ? Risk of Undue Insulin/ SU Tx
Initial Trial
Long Term Follow-up
Study
Microvascular
Macrovascular
Mortality
UGDP ↔
UKPDS ↓
DCCT/EDIC
ACCORD
↑(unadj.), ↔ (adj.)
ADVANCE
VADT
↑- likely due to hypoglycemia and weight gain 1

3. Hypoglycemia Outcomes VADT, ACCORD, ADVANCE

4. Frequency of Hypoglycemic Symptoms Among Patients With Type 2 Diabetes
Lundkvist et al1 compared the frequency of hypoglycemic symptoms among 309 patients with type 2 diabetes who were receiving oral agents only or insulin.
Symptoms of hypoglycemia were reported by 115 patients during the previous month, representing a 37% incidence of hypoglycemia (24% of patients experienced symptoms once during the month, 11% every week, and 2% every day).1 The results demonstrated that the frequency of hypoglycemic symptoms in 1 month was lower for patients with type 2 diabetes using only oral agents than in patients taking insulin, as seen on this chart.1
Other studies in Asia and Europe have shown similar prevalence of self-reported hypoglycemia in patients with type 2 diabetes treated with oral agents.2,3

5. Asymptomatic Episodes of Hypoglycemia May Go Unreported
In clinical studies of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM), episodes of hypoglycemia have been found to go unrecognized.1–3
Chico et al1 used CGM to measure the frequency of unrecognized episodes of hypoglycemia in patients with type 1 (n=40) and type 2 (n=30) diabetes. CGM detected unrecognized hypoglycemic events in 55.7% of all patients. In the subset of patients with type 2 diabetes, CGM detected hypoglycemic events in 46.6% of patients.1
Other researchers have reported similar findings.2,3

6. Consequences of Hypoglycemia
Prolonged QT- intervals- Diabetologia 52:42,2009
Can be of pronged duration IJCP Sup 129, 7/02
Greater with higher catecholamine levels Europace 10,860
Associated with Angina Diabetes Care 26, 1485, 2003 / Ischemic EKG changes Porcellati, ADA2010
Associated with Arrhythmias
Associated with Sudden Death Endocrine Practice 16,¾ 2010
Increased Variabilty-
increases inflammation, ICU mortality Hirsch ADA2010

7. CV Risk of SU and Insulin
So benefit of both SU/Insulin in
research studies –UKPDS, DCCT/EDIC
But adverse risk in ‘real world’ use-
would not pass current FDA guidelines for CV risk with a new agent
Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety. 2008;(17):

8. Complications CAN Be Reduced; MUST Avoid Hypoglycemia, Weight Gain
DCCT/EDIC and UKPDS- decreased Micro, Macrovascular disease
2. Confusion with VADT, ADVANCE, ACCORD Trials
a. Older, longer duration DM, one third with CV disease
b. Decreased micro, no benefit CV reduction, ACCORD increased Mortality
c. we believe because undue hypoglycemia, weight gain
3. ADA says adjust HgA1c goal Higher if Older, longer duration DM, CV disease
4. I DISAGREE
5. We have 8 classes of drugs that have no undue risk hypoglycemia, weight gain
a. so I’m Older, longer duration DM, CV disease
-on 3 meds with no undue risk hypoglycemia, weight gain
b. my HgA1c 5.4 !!-
c. so I still aim for lowest without no undue risk hypoglycemia,
weight gain

9. Philosophy for Reduced Insulin Need in T2DM
1. No Perfect Insulin
Exogenous insulin not put in portal system; no fine-tuning a la Beta Cell
2. Leads to Hyperinsulinism-
leads to Insulin Resistance (suppresses dopamine in ‘biologic clock’ of hypothalamus)– leads to Increased Weight, Hypoglycemia Risk
3. So Goal of all Insulin Therapy- Least Hypoglycemia, Least Weight Gain
4. Old Logic- use Early Insulin to reduce Glucotoxicity, Lipotoxicity
but GLP-1 RAs and SGLT-2 Inh. do that first day!!, with no weight gain, no hypoglycemia
5. Therefore no need for Early Insulin- use 3-4 Non-Insulin therapy before go to Basal Insulin;
if start Basal Insulin ,keep Non-Insulin Therapies and 95% of T2DM won’t need Bolus Insulin (by avoiding bolus insulin reduce hypoglycemic risk 85%)