New therapeutic agents of non insulin dependent diabetes

The progress of knowledge relating to non-insulindependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) is associated with new therapeutic developments. Their different respective targets allow to classify them in drugs stimulating insulin secretion (glimepiride, repaglinide, glucagon-like peptide I), medications reducing insulin resistance (thiazolidinediones) or in insulinmimetic agents (vanadium). Alpha glucosidase inhibitors, available in France since 1993, constitute another therapeutic approach, reducing postprandial hyperglycemia by delaying the digestion of complexe carbohyrates. These new medications, safer and sometimes effective in a single daily administration, represent an alternative to classic oral antidiabetic agents alowing therapeutic combinations and a more global management of NIDDM.