[Hypoglycemia in the diabetes treatment - risk minimization with dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors].

After metformin, with insulin in patients with severe hyperglycemia, current recommendations on treatment for type 2 diabetes suggest several pharmacotherapies, including sulfonylureas, alpha-glucosidase inhibitors, thiazolidinediones, dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors and others. Among them, recent data emphasize the effectiveness at a lower risk for hypoglycemia of dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors compared to other drug groups. One particular drug from this group, sitagliptin offers sound effectiveness, safety and tolerability resulting in good glycemic control at a very low risk for hypoglycemia. This review explores available evidence on the optimal treatment for type 2 diabetes regarding glycemic control with minimal risk for hypoglycemia based on evidence from clinical trials and meta-analyses within the context of the current treatment recommendations by the Spanish Society of Diabetes.