Pioglitazone takes a proactive stance in type 2 diabetes

The results of the PROactive study were presented at the 41st Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) [Athens, Greece; September 2005] and showed that pioglitazone [Actos] reduces the occurrence of life-threatening macrovascular events in high-risk patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. In PROactive, treatment with pioglitazone reduced the occurrence of the principal secondary endpoint, a composite of stroke, nonfatal myocardial infarction (excluding silent myocardial infarction) and all-cause mortality compared with placebo. However, pioglitazone did not significantly improve the primary endpoint, a composite which included the components of the principal secondary endpoint as well as coronary or leg revascularisation, acute coronary syndrome and major amputation. This is the first report of a prospective study showing a reduction in macrovascular events associated with the use of an antihyperglycaemic agent.