Stiffness of large arteria in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus with obesity and arterial hypertension depending on the type of glucose lowering therapy

Abstract

The purpose of our study was to estimate the index of stiffness of large arteria (SLA) (aortic pulse wave velocity (APWV) and augmentation index), and also estimate  the predictors of progression of SLA in 60 patients with type 2 diabetes, obesity and arterial hypertension (AG), out of which 30 patients received sulfonylurea as  glucose lowering therapy (GLT) and 30 patients received metformin. The augmentation index did not differ between the study groups of patients; at the same time,  APWV was significantly higher in the sulfonylurea group compared with the metformin group. The factors of SLA progression for type 2 diabetic patients are obesity, arterial  hypertension, and type of glucose lowering therapy. The index of APWV is strongly associated with hormonal and biochemical indices which determine the basic  mechanisms for development of atherosclerosis.