What are potential adverse effects of DPP-4 inhibitors?

What are potential adverse effects of DPP-4 inhibitors?

• A. Rare hypoglycemia and pancreatitis
• B. Severe lactic acidosis
• C. Hypertension
• D. Weight gain

Answer: (D)

DPP-4 inhibitors work by boosting incretin hormones after meals, which helps increase insulin release and suppress glucagon in a glucose-dependent way. Because of this mechanism, they carry a low risk of hypoglycemia on their own; the risk becomes more noticeable only when used with other glucose-lowering meds like sulfonylureas or insulin. The main potential adverse effects to remember are rare hypoglycemia when combined with other agents and a small, not-common risk of pancreatitis. Severe lactic acidosis is not a typical concern with these agents (unlike metformin in specific situations), and hypertension isn’t a typical direct adverse effect. Additionally, these drugs are generally weight neutral rather than causing weight gain, which makes weight gain an unlikely adverse outcome. So, the most relevant concerns are the rare hypoglycemia and pancreatitis risks, with the drugs not typically causing lactic acidosis or hypertension, and they usually not contributing to weight gain.

DPP-4 inhibitors work by boosting incretin hormones after meals, which helps increase insulin release and suppress glucagon in a glucose-dependent way. Because of this mechanism, they carry a low risk of hypoglycemia on their own; the risk becomes more noticeable only when used with other glucose-lowering meds like sulfonylureas or insulin.

The main potential adverse effects to remember are rare hypoglycemia when combined with other agents and a small, not-common risk of pancreatitis. Severe lactic acidosis is not a typical concern with these agents (unlike metformin in specific situations), and hypertension isn’t a typical direct adverse effect. Additionally, these drugs are generally weight neutral rather than causing weight gain, which makes weight gain an unlikely adverse outcome.

So, the most relevant concerns are the rare hypoglycemia and pancreatitis risks, with the drugs not typically causing lactic acidosis or hypertension, and they usually not contributing to weight gain.