Vnitr Lek 2024, 70(2):97-101 | DOI: 10.36290/vnl.2024.020

Incretins and the metabolic syndrome

David Karásek

III. interní klinika - nefrologická, revmatologická a endokrinologická LF UP a FN Olomouc

Metabolic syndrome is characterized by the accumulation of adverse cardio-metabolic risk factors. Non-pharmacological measures are an important part of its treatment, but many patients cannot follow them, or the measures are insufficiently effective. Pharmacological treatment usually consists in the intervention of individual components of the metabolic syndrome. There is increasing evidence that incretin mimetics, which were originally developed for the treatment of type 2 diabetes, have the potential to beneficially affect not only hyperglycemia or obesity, but also dyslipidemia and elevated blood pressure. There is also evidence that some agonists for incretin receptors reduce the incidence of cardiovascular events and lead to regression of hepatic steatosis. They could therefore represent an ideal drug for the treatment of metabolic syndrome and some of its complications. The review presents current therapeutic options and the near future of incretin therapy.

Keywords: metabolic syndrome, incretins, glucagon, glucagon-like peptide-1, glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide.

Accepted: March 26, 2024; Published: April 10, 2024  Show citation