Abstract

Diabetes mellitus occurs throughout the world but is more common in developed countries. More than 150 million people were found with diabetes in 2004. In 2005, there were about 20.8 million people with diabetes in United State alone. While an estimated 14.6 million have been diagnosed with diabetes, unfortunately 6.2 million were unaware that they have diabetes. To focus on the adverse effects of drugs prescribed for the treatment of diabetes mellitus, a search about data regarding side effects of drugs used in the treatment of diabetes was made using “pubmed”, “medline” and “google” published during 1970 to 2011. These drugs included: insulin, metformin, glibenclamide and glimpiride. Search was made by using the terms given in “keywords” and some other terms given in article. Eighty research articles of these drugs were found. The side effects of these drugs were compared with each other to avoid duplication of data. Out of 20 articles of each drug, percentage of hypoglycemic effect produced by insulin, glibenclamide, glimpiride and metformin was 90, 80, 40 and 0%, respectively, while hypersensitivity reactions showed a percentage of 50, 15, 10 and 5%, respectively. Percentage of hepato-toxicity produced by these drugs was 0, 35, 10 and 10%, respectively. Only metformin produced lactic acidosis and vitamin B12 deficiency and percentage of these effects are 60 and 30%, respectively. It is necessary to focus on the side effects of the drugs prescribed for the treatment of diabetes mellitus.

Key words: Diabetes mellitus, insulin, glibenclamide, glimpiride, metformin, side effects.