Sulphonylureas have been used to treat type 2 diabetes since the early 1950s and remain among the most frequently prescribed medications for the disease. Common examples include glimepiride (Amaryl), glipizide (Glucotrol), and glyburide (Diabeta, Micronase). Even so, evidence shows that their effectiveness can decline with long-term use and that they may produce more side effects than several newer diabetes drugs.
New research from the University of Barcelona, the Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL), Bellvitge University Hospital, and the CIBER Area for Diabetes and Associated Metabolic Diseases (CIBERDEM) indicates that sulphonylureas may interfere with the normal function of insulin-producing cells.
The study found that these drugs can drive a loss of cellular identity in pancreatic beta cells, limiting their ability to release insulin and potentially speeding the progression of type 2 diabetes.
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